In just a few weeks, many young adults will be heading off to college, perhaps for the very first time. As many students and their families know all too well, funding for higher education can be difficult to come by, and a scholarship, no matter the amount, can make all the difference for a young adult pursuing higher education.
Last week, Central Scholarship & Loan Referral Service (CSLRS) and JF&CS’s Sara and Tena Goldstein Memorial Fund awarded more than $390,000 in scholarships to 204 area Jewish students at the annual check presentation ceremony held at the Jewish Community Center.
Jonathan Rosenson, CSLRS committee chair, welcomed scholarship recipients to the ceremony and applauded their excellence. Guest speaker Jenny Jones, coordinator at the Volunteer Center of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, spoke to scholarship recipients about the importance of pursuing their passions and giving back to the community.
Also in attendance were Robin Elson, CSLRS committee allocations chair, Kathy Klein and Randi Sigal, check distribution chairs, JF&CS Board Chair Wendy Mars, as well as JF&CS staff, including Aryeh Sherman, JF&CS president & CEO, Alayne Lowenberger, scholarship program director and Dana Himmel, scholarship coordinator.
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CSLRS Committee Chair, Jonathan Rosenson, with CSLRS Committee
Allocations Chair, Robin Elson, at the recent check distribution ceremony.
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Founded in 1966, CSLRS is a needs-based scholarship program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh administered by JF&CS, which coordinates the efforts of a group of organizations, agencies and scholarship endowment funds to provide scholarships to local Jewish students enrolled in accredited institutions of higher education and demonstrating financial need. Students apply once online through the CSLRS website, and this one application offers access to the numerous scholarships administered by CSLRS.
Any Jewish high school senior or student enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or technical school with financial need whose home is in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington or Westmoreland counties can apply to CSLRS. Applicants must be a resident of one of these counties for at least two years before applying, and financial need must be demonstrated. Applications for the 2014-15 academic year will be available online in November.
The CSLRS program represents an outstanding example of how the Pittsburgh region’s Jewish community has come together to create opportunities for our children’s futures, and JF&CS is committed to helping local Jewish students pursue advanced education by easing the financial burden on themselves and their families.
If you know someone who may be eligible and could benefit from a scholarship, please visit www.centralscholarship.org or contact Alayne Lowenberger by emailing alowenberger@jfcspgh.org, or by calling 412-422-7200.