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Berkshire Bank Foundation Launches Scholarship Program09:08AM / Wednesday, February 18, 2009
$36,000 to be Awarded to Students Active in their Communities
PITTSFIELD, Mass. - In an effort to help students pursue their goals of a higher education, Berkshire Bank announced a scholarship opportunity for high school seniors in Berkshire Bank’s communities located in western Massachusetts, northeastern New York and southern Vermont. The Berkshire Bank Foundation will be granting $36,000 in total scholarship dollars primarily to students who have exemplified community service through their volunteer efforts, have been successful academically and have a demonstrated financial need. The program highlights the Foundation’s support for education and the Bank’s commitment to promote volunteerism in the community.
“A priority of our Bank and Foundation is to support quality education and help deserving young people obtain a college degree,” said Foundation Executive Director Peter J. Lafayette. “Through this scholarship program we will be recognizing young people who have made a positive difference in their schools and communities. By targeting these scholarships to these young leaders, we hope to encourage volunteerism among young people that will lead to a lifetime of community service.”
Under the program, eighteen (18) $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who will be attending a 2 or 4 year college in the fall. Applications will be evaluated based on demonstrated volunteerism in the community with non-school sponsored activities and through participation in extracurricular school activities. Applicants must have a GPA of at least 3.0 and a financial need (total family income under $75,000). Students must apply by March 31, 2009 and have the endorsement of their school guidance office. Only 5 applications per school will be accepted. An independent panel of community volunteers and bank employees will review all applications and select this year’s winners.
Scholarships will be given out in the regions where Berkshire Bank branches are located with six (6) to be awarded in Berkshire County, six (6) in the Pioneer Valley, three (3) in southern Vermont and three (3) in the Albany region. Applications can be downloaded on the Bank’s website at www.berkshirebank.com/foundation/about/scholarships. To be considered, all applications must be received in the Foundation’s Pittsfield’s office by March 31st. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Berkshire Bank Foundation at scholarshipinfo@berkshirebank.com
In 2008, Berkshire Bank began a bank-wide Employee Volunteer Program in which employees participate in group projects that benefit the community. A total of five group projects took place in 2008 and the program will be expanded in 2009. The Bank believes that promoting volunteerism at an early age will benefit both the volunteers and communities and will hopefully lead to on-going community involvement. The new Scholarship Program is a continuation of that philosophy.
Background
Berkshire Hills Bancorp is headquartered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It has approximately $2.7 billion in assets and is the parent of Berkshire Bank - America's Most Exciting BankSM. Berkshire provides business and consumer banking, insurance, wealth management, and investment services through 48 banking and insurance offices in western Massachusetts, northeastern New York, and southern Vermont. For more information, visit berkshirebank.com or call 800-773-5601.
Berkshire Bank Foundations were funded with donations from Berkshire Bank and their funding priorities are educational and community development programs. Since their inception, the foundations have awarded nearly $12 million in donations to non-profit organizations and will award more than $1 million in 2009 to non-profit organizations. |
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