Fisher Launches New Scholarship for City of Rochester Students

Beginning fall 2020, students from the City of Rochester entering St. John Fisher College as first-year undergraduates will be eligible to receive the newly created Fisher Urban Scholar Award.

The scholarship, which is available to students enrolling from local charter schools and public schools in the City of Rochester, pledges $40,000 per student over the course of four years. The financial award is also available to city residents who participate in Urban-Suburban programs.

“We have been committed to the Rochester community since our founding, and have provided access to a Fisher education to all those who seek it. The newly created Fisher Urban Scholar Award will advance that work and continue to ensure that students from the Rochester City School District and area charter schools and Urban-Suburban programs have the opportunity to take advantage of the Fisher experience as well,” said Dr. Gerard J. Rooney, president of the College. “This scholarship program adds to the commitment that Fisher has as an anchor institution to students and families in the city of Rochester as well as the greater Rochester community.”

In addition to the financial award offered through the Fisher Urban Scholar program, students will be eligible to receive merit scholarships or special awards given by the College, including the Service Scholarship, First Generation Scholarship, and Honors Program, among others. Fisher Urban Scholars will also participate in a mentoring program and internship or experiential learning opportunity connected to their major.

“As a graduate of both the Rochester City School District and St. John Fisher College, I am excited to see our institution continuing the commitment to serve the Rochester community,” said Jose Ramos ’13, ’19 (MBA), assistant director of freshman admissions and multicultural recruiter for the College. “Being a part of the Fisher family and all that it entails has been special for me and countless other members of the Fisher community. The Fisher Urban Scholar Award will provide many high school residents of Rochester a financially feasible college experience in their own backyard.”

The inaugural cohort of Fisher Urban Scholars will be members of the Class of 2024 and will follow the most diverse class in the College’s history, with students of color representing 16 percent of the Class of 2023.

Learn more about the new scholarship program at Fisher’s upcoming Open House events, held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9 and Saturday, Jan. 25. For general questions, call the Office of Freshman Admissions at (585) 385-8064 or email admissions@sjfc.edu.