Empire State Diversity Honors Scholarship

The Empire State Diversity Honors Scholarship Program (ESDHSP) and the Graduate Diversity Fellowship Program (GDFP) (known collectively as “Diversity Scholarship Programs”) are designed to direct aid to undergraduate and graduate/professional students, respectively, who have demonstrated academic achievement and overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education. Candidates will contribute to the diversity of the student body by demonstrating their commitment to facilitating and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion effects in their academic programs and activities.. Award will be split evenly between the fall and spring semesters. Funding is based on availability.

Eligiblity Requirements

• To participate in the ESDHSP, candidates are required to:
• Be U.S. citizens or have permanent resident status and
• Demonstrate how they have overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education.
• Candidates must also demonstrate a commitment to contributing to the diversity of the student body by facilitating and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in their academic programs and campus activities.

Additional Selection Criteria

• Scholarship will be awarded to a matriculated entering freshman level student in good academic standing at SUNY Cortland
• recipients must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average
• full-time enrollment (at least 12 credit hours each fall and spring semester)
• student must have at least one full academic year remaining at the start of the fall semester of award year
• recipients must be U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens
• recipients must be New York State residents, who will make a contribution to the diversity of the student body in their program

Preference will be given to candidate who are:

• Current SUNY students, alumni, and/or Fellows.
• From a low-income background (e.g., Pell-eligible as undergraduates), were first-generation college students (students whose parents have not earned a bachelor’s degree), have overcome adversity, are AmeriCorps alumni, or are veterans.
• Enrolled in the SUNY Cortland Honors Program

Renewal Information

• may be renewable, renewals are dependent on available funding as provided by the Cortland College Foundation
• continued funding is based on student maintaining a 3.0 cumulative grade point average
• award amounts may vary from year-to-year
• matriculated at SUNY Cortland
• enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each fall and spring semester
• maintain satisfactory academic progress per SUNY Cortland’s published Federal Good Academic Standing guidelines
• must maintain New York State residency
• this scholarship is renewable for a maximum of four academic years (eight academic semesters, excluding summer semesters). Actual number of terms is based on Class Level (freshman, sophomore, etc) at time of initial award

These scholarship programs are open to any and all prospective candidates regardless of race, color, national origin, or sex, and are consistent with all current governing federal and state nondiscrimination law. All application submissions will be assessed and evaluated in accordance with the required eligibility criteria.