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Notre Dame College has received a gift of $170,000 from the John Huntington Fund for Education for scholarships in the STEMM fields, or Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine, are devoted to first generation students, students who are immigrants or children of immigrants and economically challenged students.

The College’s commitment to first generation and Pell-eligible students extends beyond admission to ensuring their success during their tenure at the College. An additional unsolicited gift of $10,000 by the Huntington Fund will support peer-to-peer mentoring by upperclassmen to new students.

“Education is the foundation upon which economically stable and successful communities are built,” stated Anna Adams, executive director, John Huntington Fund for Education.

This statement exemplifies the intent of John Huntington, the Cleveland industrialist and philanthropist, when he established the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust nearly 150 years ago. While a portion of the Trust established and maintained what is now The Cleveland Museum of Art, the other portion was dedicated to educating immigrants and those less fortunate in Cuyahoga county in science, technology and vocations.

This objective mirrors that of the Sisters of Notre Dame, who came to Cleveland first to educate fellow German immigrants. Today, Notre Dame educates a more diverse student population, but the missions of the John Huntington Fund for Education and the College remain complementary.

“Peer mentoring…is the difference between success and failure,” Adams said. “We believe that services like these…make scholarship dollars successful.”

Peer-to-peer mentoring works well with first-generation students because the more experienced students have a better understanding of what the needs of their new peers are.

Many first-generation students do not have the community or family support network with a knowledge of how to navigate the multi-layered college experience.  Hearing from a fellow student who has ‘been there’ builds confidence that success in college is possible.

The John Huntington Fund for Education believes in the passion of the faculty, staff and students of Notre Dame. With their support, the College can attract and retain students and, in turn, these successful students will use their Notre Dame education to build and strengthen the Cuyahoga county community.

January 2022
Written by Elizabeth Cushwa

About Notre Dame College

Notre Dame College is a private, Catholic, liberal arts college in South Euclid, Ohio, committed to teaching students how to make a good living and live a good life. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. For more information, visit NotreDameCollege.edu.