Twenty-seven Pitt-Greensburg students received an early holiday gift when they were each awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the Addison H. Gibson Foundation. The awards are being applied to the students’ spring 2023 tuition. Three additional scholarships are in the process of being finalized.
Students receiving this one-time award were selected based on demonstrated financial need for assistance, posting a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and having residency in western Pennsylvania. The funding can only be applied to tuition and fees.
Established by Addison Gibson, an oil baron and Armstrong County native who passed away in 1936, the Pittsburgh-based Addison H. Gibson Foundation distributes funding annually to accredited colleges and universities in western Pennsylvania to be used for student scholarships.
The students receiving the scholarship awards expressed their gratitude and appreciation. A sampling of their reactions is shared below:
“I really do appreciate this award. . . . This award enhanced my time [at Pitt-Greensburg] because I am having financial trouble and being able to worry less about it will help me to better focus on my education,” wrote a fourth-year business management major. This student plans to work in the information technology area with long-term plans to start an online business.
“I am deeply appreciative of the support,” said a fourth-year nursing major. “This scholarship lowers my financial need for the semester, which will help me decrease the number of hours I need to work. This will allow me more time to study, especially for the NCLEX.” After graduation, the student plans to work in a medical-surgical unit or an intensive care unit of a hospital. “My plans changed tremendously throughout my time at Pitt-Greensburg. The clinical sites they put us at have really opened my eyes to the nursing out there, and I'm excited to graduate this year. Long-term I want to get a master's degree eventually so I can become a professor after I have experience in the field. Pitt-Greensburg has helped me achieve these goals through the education and clinical opportunities they have given me.”
“This award will greatly decrease the financial strain involved with the cost of tuition,” noted a fourth-year student who is married with three children. Upon graduation, this applied mathematics major plans to choose a career that incorporates the mathematics, statistics, and engineering principles he has studied in order to make a positive impact. The student’s ultimate goal is to become an actuary.
“This opportunity will provide security and stability for the upcoming semester, which will allow me to apply more of my focus and time on my education. The Addison Gibson Foundation [award] has shown me that all of my hard work has been noticed,” wrote a third-year biology student. “I want to help people after I graduate, which is why I want to get involved with cancer research after graduate school. Pitt-Greensburg is giving me a great education and helping me toward my goals.”
“I am so honored and grateful to be awarded this and could not say thank you enough!” wrote a third-year psychology major who received the scholarship award. “This award will enhance my education because it will relieve the stress of paying for it next semester. This will also give me the opportunity to save money for the upcoming semesters! It means so much to know that I have support to continue my education to pursue my goals!” This student’s career plans include pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The scholarships were distributed among students majoring in accounting, applied mathematics, biochemistry, biological sciences, business management, chemistry, criminal justice, history, nursing, political science, pre-education, pre-medical, psychology, social sciences area, and Spanish who are from Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
This past year, Pitt-Greensburg offered $27.8 million in scholarships to students, including Merit and Transfer Student scholarships to students who met the academic criteria. Endowed scholarships allow Pitt-Greensburg to provide financial support to students while meeting donor-specified criteria. Eighty-two percent of its incoming freshmen received scholarships funded by Pitt-Greensburg, and 52 percent of all its students received scholarships funded by Pitt-Greensburg.
Founded in 1963, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is a publicly assisted, four-year, liberal arts college in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pitt-Greensburg offers 31 baccalaureate degree programs, including new majors in data analytics, nursing, and healthcare management, as well as 30 minors and four certificate programs. Pitt-Greensburg provides a vibrant, diverse community with nearly 1,400 students, more than 10,000 alumni, and faculty and staff numbering 260. As part of the University of Pittsburgh system, Pitt-Greensburg offers the resources of a world-renowned university combined with the individualized and immersive experiences of a small liberal arts college. Creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit permeate the campus and extend into its many collaborative projects with the Westmoreland County community. Nestled in Pennsylvania’s beautiful Laurel Highlands, the campus is surrounded by the region’s outdoor recreation venues and rich history. It is a five-minute drive from uptown Greensburg and less than an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh.