/filters:quality(90)/prod01/production-cdn-pxl/media/umassdartmouth/features/2021/success-web-1-747X397.jpg?text=945+WebP)
Alumni find meaningful ways to give back through scholarships
Students come to UMass Dartmouth determined to make a difference and to seek answers to questions about the world around them. They are motivated to make their communities better places. They are driven to succeed.
It is no secret that attending college is a costly endeavor. Even at UMass Dartmouth, where a commitment to keeping tuition affordable is a priority, its students rely heavily on scholarships to make a college degree attainable. Donors who support scholarships help keep students’ determination alive.
Sheri ’80, Hon. ’13 and Terry McCoy ’79 ensured that a college education remains within reach by establishing two endowed scholarship funds. The McCoy Family Endowed Scholarship is awarded to a bioengineering student in the College of Engineering, and the James Anthony McCoy Scholarship is presented to a management or marketing major in the Charlton College of Business.
“We are pleased to be able to provide scholarships to impressive students,” said Sheri McCoy. “As graduates of UMass Dartmouth, we know firsthand the value of a good education. It’s rewarding to see their accomplishments.”
When a student earns a scholarship, it fuels their motivation even more. Erin Steele ’20 chose UMassD for its high-quality academics and affordability, but, like most students, subsidizing her college education was a challenge. With the financial support of the McCoy Family Scholarship, Erin’s time at UMassD included an internship at a medical device start-up, a semester abroad in Cyprus, and challenging bioengineering courses that prepared her for a job as a nuclear engineer for the Department of Defense.
“I wouldn’t have been able to afford college or graduate on time without scholarships to lessen the burden,” she said. “I am grateful for the support that helped me get here.”