Q: What is the process for selecting and notifying scholarship recipients?
Once a scholarship is created and funded, the Penn State financial aid staff manages the selection and notification process to the student.
To be eligible for consideration for donor-funded scholarships, students must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and they must complete a scholarship application using the links found on the Penn State Abington financial aid website. Decisions are typically made by June, and the recipients are notified during the summer so that their bills will be reduced by the amount of the scholarship.
The scholarship aid is divided by semester. For example, if a student is awarded a $2,500 scholarship for the academic year, their fall and spring semester bills will each be reduced by $1,250. If a student has already paid their bill, they will be issued a refund.
Q: Do donors have the opportunity to meet students who benefit from their gifts?
To steward and thank scholarship donors, we organize an annual Scholarship Donor Meet and Greet in the spring. We also facilitate a process whereby student scholarship recipients are invited to share a thank you letter or video with donors although by law we cannot require that a student send a thank you letter or attend an event.