Bergen Community College’s technology solutions partner, Ellucian, and its charitable foundation, awarded the Paramus-based institution a $25,000 block grant to support 50 currently enrolled students’ basic needs such as tuition, housing expenses and textbooks.
Accepted through the 501(c)(3) Bergen Community College Foundation, in total, Ellucian awarded the $400,000 Progress, Accomplishment, Thriving, Hope, or PATH, Scholarship to 25 college partners such as Bergen.
“The partnership we maintain with Ellucian positively impacts Bergen Community College in many ways, including through our overall information technology operation, the Center for Online Learning and on-campus support for students, faculty and staff,” Bergen President Eric Friedman said. “Our selection as the PATH Scholarship awardee underscores the depth of our relationship and the shared goal of helping students succeed.”
Bergen students applied for the scholarship through the institution’s nonprofit foundation, detailing their needs through essays. Ultimately, the foundation selected 50 students to each receive a $500 scholarship.
Established in 2020 by Ellucian, the PATH Scholarship program has provided more than $2 million in grants, with more than 2,000 students receiving aid. According to Ellucian CEO and President Laura Ipsen, an independent selection committee reviewed applications from dozens of partners, ultimately selecting 25 for the awards. The company strongly encouraged Minority Serving Institutions, such as Bergen, to apply.
“Two-year public colleges are at the heart of the U.S. higher education system, serving as educational and career launch pads for students by providing critical skills and access to a wide range of learners,” she said. “It’s imperative that we support these students by mitigating the obstacles that make it difficult to stay in school and develop the skills that are integral to our workforce and society. Through the PATH Scholarship program, we are dedicated to investing in their potential and contributing to their success.”
Ellucian, and previous iterations of the company Datatel and SunGard, have partnered with Bergen to provide on-campus information technology solutions since the 1980s. The company maintains partnerships with nearly 3,000 institutions of higher education throughout the world.
