CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Within Reach, Without Limits Scholarships create opportunity
Joe Caccio 12 was among the first class of students to benefit from Cornells enhanced financial aid incentive a year ago. Today, he is a sophomore engineering student. See larger image
It's moving to see the pride on the faces of new Cornell students, especially after they have surmounted the twin hurdles of admission and financial aid. It's even more thrilling to watch these students thrive as they immerse themselves in all Cornell offers.
A year ago, in the pages of this magazine, we introduced you to a few Cornell students who were among the first to benefit from Cornell's new packages that provide increased financial aid for qualified students. Now, we invite you to follow the unfolding stories of three of these students: Joe Caccio '12, Abraham Saldivar '12 and Sabina Sattler '12. For each of them, scholarships provide the keys to a future without limits.
Caccio's father was laid off during Joe's senior year of high school, and the family knew that meeting the costs of any college, let alone Cornell, would be tough. Today, Caccio is in his second year of engineering classes and pushing himself to do well in all of them.
"In today's world, practically everyone needs to go to college to make something out of themselves, and I know from experience that Cornell welcomes and helps produce exceptional individuals," he says. "I actually cannot emphasize enough how much financial aid has been helping my family."
Saldivar, the youngest of three brothers from a family in Mexico that earns less than $30,000, is the recipient of the Eli Louis and Dora Hirschhorn Scholarship, the Elisabeth Reamer Carson Scholarship and the Tracy and Jay Silpe '94 Scholarship. A chemistry major, Saldivar already has worked for a year as a lab assistant in Frank DiSalvo's prominent research lab, where he is helping to synthesize new compounds for applications in fuel cell technology. Saldivar talks weekly with DiSalvo, the John A. Newman Professor of Physical Sciences and director of the Cornell Fuel Cell Institute.
"Research is exciting, and being part of the cutting edge in the sciences is encouraging," Saldivar says. "Research is why I came to Cornell."
Meanwhile, communication major Sattler packs a lot into each week. Besides a full class schedule and her work as her class vice president for promotion, she's in the Debate Club, writes for Slope Media's magazine, offers her counsel as a peer adviser, and networks through the Association for Women in Communications.
"I believe all of the opportunities here allow you to push yourself to your fullest and challenge yourself," says Sattler, a recipient of the Class of 1974 Scholarship. "And scholarships make a world of difference for students."
Since 2008, financial aid packages have included larger grant awards and reduced loan obligations. Specifically, Cornell has:
- increased unrestricted grant aid overall by 25 percent,
- increased restricted grant aid overall by 15 percent, and
- decreased the burden of student loans by 89 percent.
Most important, we are making progress in creating access for more students. In fall 2009, the university enrolled the most racially and ethnically diverse class of first-year students in its history.
Both our progress and our students depend upon Far Above … The Campaign for Cornell. As President Skorton said in his recent State of the University address: "Our commitment to making it possible for any qualified student to come Cornell has never been stronger. With your help it will get stronger still."
-- Stephen Ashley '62, MBA '64, Campaign Co-Chair
-- Jan Rock Zubrow '77, Campaign Co-Chair
-- Robert J. Appel '53, Chair, Discoveries that Make a Difference: The Campaign for Weill Cornell Medical College
Give online at www.giving.cornell.edu/give