WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — An endowment established in 2015 at Pennsylvania College of Technology with a $530,000 grant from The Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Foundation of Harrisburg is receiving an additional $540,000 in support from the foundation.
The $540,000 will support scholarships for students in the Penn College NOW dual-enrollment program who matriculate to Penn College as full-time students.
Penn College NOW is a nationally accredited dual-enrollment program. Penn College courses are taught by approved teachers at high schools and career and technology centers. There is no tuition cost to the participating students, and the program currently works with 42 partners across Pennsylvania.
Eligibility criteria for the new scholarships include:
- Enrolled full time at Penn College
- Demonstrated financial need, based on results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) profile
- Completed three or more Penn College NOW credits with a minimum of a 3.0 (out of 4.0) GPA, as calculated at the time of selection
- Demonstrated leadership and community involvement
Eligible Penn College NOW students interested in applying for the scholarships will be required to complete the Penn College Scholarship Application, which includes an optional short written essay describing their career goals and dedication to their career choice, a list of community involvement activities, and leadership roles and responsibilities.
The previous funding the college received from the Stabler Foundation is earmarked for scholarships for first-year students enrolled full time in an associate of applied science major that is nontraditional for their gender. Additional criteria include a demonstrated need for financial assistance, high academic performance, leadership and community involvement.
As with the scholarships generated by the previous Stabler Foundation funding, the new support will enable Penn College to provide up to five scholarship awards — of $5,000 each — annually to students. The scholarships are nonrenewable.
To fulfill the wishes of Donald and Dorothy Stabler, who died in 1997 and 2005, respectively, recipients must sign a letter of intent recognizing a “debt of conscience” or moral obligation to contribute to the Stabler endowment at the college themselves after completing their education and/or military service.
“We are most grateful to The Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Foundation for its ongoing support of Penn College students,” said President Davie Jane Gilmour. “These new scholarships will assist deserving young men and women as they pursue their career goals. Coming to us from the Penn College NOW program, these students have already demonstrated a strong commitment to learning. This scholarship support can help them achieve their objectives.”
The Stabler Foundation was established in 1966 exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational purposes. For more information, visit www.stablerfoundation.org.
Students who wish to apply for a Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Scholarship — or any of the more than 200 scholarships administered by the Penn College Foundation — should complete a scholarship application at www.pct.edu/scholarships.
Those interested in contributing to a Penn College scholarship or establishing one can send a donation to the Penn College Foundation, One College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701; give online at www.pct.edu/SupportingScholarships; or call the Institutional Advancement Office toll-free at 866-GIVE-2-PC (866-448-3272).