Third Annual Wissahickon and Gwynedd Mercy University Opportunity Scholarship Awarded

Wissahickon High School Senior Cinai Lazarus was awarded The Wissahickon and Gwynedd Mercy University Opportunity Scholarship on Tuesday, October 17.

The scholarship program provides one deserving student a four-year, full tuition scholarship to attend GMercyU as an Early Education major and then return to Wissahickon School District as a K-4 teacher.

GMercyU President Deanne H. D’Emilio, JD and Wissahickon School District Superintendent James Crisfield, EdD presented Cinai with the scholarship at a special ceremony at Wissahickon High School.

"The benefits of this program cannot be overstated. Not only will GMercyU be a recipient of a motivated, talented and diverse teaching candidate like Cinai, but the Wissahickon schools will benefit from the inspired alumni coming back home to teach and serve. Now more than ever, students deserve teachers who understand them and their backgrounds," Deanne H. D'Emilio, JD, President of Gwynedd Mercy University said. 

The Wissahickon and Gwynedd Mercy University Opportunity Scholarship is designed to meet the urgent need for more qualified teachers while increasing diversity among Wissahickon’s teaching staff. Studies show that student success, attendance, and social-emotional growth significantly improves when teachers are representative of the student population.

The scholarship is funded in part by GMercyU and in part by an anonymous donor.

The event was featured on CBS3. You can view the coverage here.