BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — There was a major scholarship announcement made by Canisius University in Buffalo on Thursday that could be a game-changer for many low-to-middle-income families.
Canisius is ready to pick up the entire tuition tab for future students who are eligible for scholarships.
“I am excited to announce the most significant initiative we have undertaken as a university, the Canisius Buffalo Promise Scholarship,” announced Steve Stoute, president, Canisius University.
Stoute announced tuition will be free for four years to eligible, low and middle-income students across the Buffalo metro area.
“If a student comes from a high need or middle-income family in Buffalo and they're accepted to Canisius then they will not pay one cent toward their tuition here at Canisius,” Stoute stated.
Undergraduate students can apply starting in the fall of next year. They must live in a zip code beginning with 142 and come from a household with an income of $125,000 or less.
I spoke with two high school seniors tell me this could be a “game-changer."
“This is a game-changer for everyone. No matter who you are, you truly finally get a chance to live out your dreams and live out your purpose and you have the resources. You have this beautiful campus. These beautiful people who truly care about you and I really think that changes a lot of things,” Kameron Wright, senior, Tapestry Charter School.
“It's honestly great to hear that Canisius is so invested in our future,” replied Aayan Hoque, Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School. "College costs — is like a huge factor. I’m doing my own college admission right now. I’m stressing about how I’m going to pay for this and just hearing this — it's just a great relief.”
According to national numbers, enrollment here at Canisius declined over the last decade, but last year it rose.
The scholarships are a $125-million commitment funded through the school's financial aid, endowed scholarships, and institutional aid.
Canisius, like many private colleges, faces a roughly $7-million shortfall, but its president tells me they're tackling it head-on.
“We have not waited until things are dire. We are being proactive. We see the trends. We understand the data, and we are making the difficult decisions that need to be made in order to secure this institution's future for the next 154 years,” Stoute responded.
Stoute explained that he will create an Institutional Sustainability Task Force made up of school trustees, faculty, staff, and students, that will spend “the next few months digging into the data” and will make recommendations on how the university should move forward to secure its long-term future.
Stoute said they have not cut any programs and will continue to invest in students.
