Overview
Rick DeJesus-Rueff, Academic Program Director
Emily Colliss, Assistant Director, Institute for Civic and Community Engagement
The Fannie and Sam Constantino First Generation Scholarship Program provides financial and academic assistance to high school students who exhibit a high degree of motivation and academic potential, and whose parents did not graduate from a post-secondary institution. This scholarship, created as the University celebrated its 50th anniversary, reflects one of the original purposes of St. John Fisher University: to educate students who are the first in their families to attend college, much like the pioneer classes of St. John Fisher University.
Twenty-four scholarships are awarded annually to high school seniors who will enroll at the University. As part of the program, First Generation Scholars must successfully:
- Complete the two-course learning community during the fall semester of their first-year. Courses titled Leadership Through Self-Development and Principles of Ethical Leadership.
- Complete the Community Engagement Workshop series during the first year of enrollment that offers comprehensive skills and learning to prepare for structured volunteerism. A Lab linked to the FGEN 1020 class. Group Service Activities will be integrated into the first-year experience.
- Complete all successive service learning seminars the Program offers. First Generation Scholars earn a 0.5 academic credit hour for each seminar completed; seminars are letter graded.
- As a Sophomore, Junior and Senior, each Scholar will complete at least 60 hours of community service during each year of enrollment at the University (30 hours each semester).
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of degree requirements.
Community service hours are recorded via the app MobileServe and logged at the end of each volunteer activity for approval by the Office of the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement. Service will be completed in partnership with the community Not-for-Profit Organizations in the Greater Rochester Community, facilitated by the Institute, and through other opportunities that scholars may identify, including service to a not-for-profit organization such as a church, school, or community organization. Specific information about completion of community service hours is provided through the Scholarship Program Handbook and by the Assistant Director of the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement.