CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Ebony Sanders attended the Penn State Lehigh Valley (PSU-LV) Scholarship Dinner, held Nov. 5 at the Homewood Suites Centennial Catering & Conference Center, with her basketball coach, Lorie Khalil.
“Without the generous support from donors, many of us wouldn’t be in school,” said Sanders, a senior psychology major who spoke at the event. Sanders is the recipient of the Eugene and Sandra Slaski Scholarship.
“Coming to Penn State Lehigh Valley has helped me become the respectable and accomplished individual I am today,” Sanders said. “I have gotten so much support from professors, coaches, family, friends and also donors.” Sanders has won many accolades for her time on the volleyball and basketball courts and for her classroom achievements.
The event, attended by more than 100 students and donors, was held to celebrate students who are recipients of PSU-LV scholarships and express gratitude to the people who donate to PSU-LV scholarships.
Nearly 1,000 students are currently enrolled at the Lehigh Valley campus, and about 70% of the campus’ degree-seeking students have a financial need — with only 57% of their need met by need-based aid.
“Since last year’s dinner, student loan debt [nationally] has gone up from $1.4 trillion to $1.5 trillion,” said Tina Q. Richardson, chancellor of Penn State Lehigh Valley. “That is an increase of $100 billion in just 12 months. Scholarships ensure more students can find even more opportunities for growth and achievement at Penn State. And both merit and need-based scholarships are important for our students and their success.”