SUNY Plattsburgh Celebrates North Country Scholars, Benefactors

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March 26, 2018

SUNY Plattsburgh freshman and their families, along with college administrators and staff, joined area business leaders in the Angell College Center’s Warren Ballrooms on March 21 for a reception to celebrate the 2017-2018 North Country Scholarship recipients.

Currently studying at SUNY Plattsburgh through the merit-based program — which aims to keep future leaders close to home — are 234 of the region’s best and brightest students, including 115 freshman.

“We hope that our North Country Scholars will be the future of our professional workforce — our teachers, bankers, engineers, scientists and political leaders,” said Plattsburgh College Foundation President Linda Bourgeois.

The $3,500 scholarship is available only to graduates of high schools in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties with high school GPAs of 90 or above and qualifying SAT/ACT scores. Those who keep their grades up while attending SUNY Plattsburgh can receive the award for up to eight semesters of consecutive study.

Giving Back

The program is funded by area businesses and individuals, as well as the Plattsburgh College Foundation.

“Our company, National Business Technologies, always gives back to the community, and it’s very important that we participate in the success of the community, so the North Country Scholarship fits our company mission,” said National Business Technologies CEO Scott Mueller ’88.

The scholarship program also serves as a way for Mueller to give back to his alma mater, which he credits, in part, with his career success.

National Business Technologies is among several area benefactors that sponsor named North Country scholarships for individual students at the $2,500 level.

“More than $550,000 has been donated to the program by area businesses, alumni and community leaders,” said Bourgeois, CEO of UFirst Federal Credit Union, which also funds a named scholarship.

Additionally, she continued, “the Plattsburgh College Foundation directs funding to the program to ensure that deserving local students can receive this scholarship — and with the introduction last year of the Excelsior program in New York state, the North Country Scholarship can go further to help with additional college expenses, such as the cost of student housing in the residence halls or a meal plan in the dining halls.”

‘Incentive to Stay in New York’

For North Country Scholar Elisabeth Ashley of Lake Placid, receiving a named scholarship from Cumberland 12 Cinemas has made it possible to cut back on her hours at work and focus more on her studies.

“The scholarship means a lot to me because it really provided incentive to stay in New York,” said the freshman, who is majoring in environmental science.

Meanwhile, fellow freshman Steffaney Jabaut of Champlain is studying international business at SUNY Plattsburgh with the support of one of two named scholarships funded by Georgia-Pacific Corporation.

“The amount of gratitude that I have toward Georgia-Pacific, as well as all of the other donors, for allowing us scholars this opportunity is unmeasurable,” Jabaut said.

Anyone interested in donating to the North Country Scholarship program should contact Faith Leach G’01 at 518-564-3615 or email [email protected].

North Country Scholarship Benefactors:

College Auxiliary Services
Chartwells Campus Dining
Community Bank NA
Cumberland 12 Cinemas
DS Specialties
Enterprise (2)
Georgia-Pacific Corporation (2)
Giltz Family/Northern Insuring
JFP Enterprises
Knapp/Champlain Telephone
Lola and Raymond Johnson (2)
National Business Technologies
Nine Platt Hospitality Group
Pasquale and Kathleen DeBenedictis
Pepsi Bottling Co. Inc. (2)
Plattsburgh Pediatrics
Prairie Family (2)
Schluter Systems, LP (2)
Subway
Ufirst Federal Credit Union.

North Country Scholarship Donors:

AES Northeast PLLC
Arthur Anderson ’71
Suzanne Barton ’86
Lisa Bilow-Bohling ’82
Lana Bilow-Saal ’85
Boulrice & Wood CPAs
Evan Bracy
Burnt Hills Chiropractic
Penelope Clute
Diane Cumberbatch
Susan DeFichy ’76
Dick’s Collision LLC
Donald Rumble Carpentry
Barbara Dorrance
Dragonfly Dental PLLC
Durocher Auto Sales Inc.
Robert Eberle
Fleet Promotional Products
G & G Tire Co. Inc.
Shannon Gibson
Giroux’s Poultry Farm Inc.
Eleanor Goldman
Rodney Gregoire ’82
Holiday Inn
Rana Huber ’91
J. C. Buck Inc.
Donald Kasprzak
Kiwanis Club of Plattsburgh
Lake Placid Vacation Corporation
Faith Leach G’01
Alan Longshore ’60
Nancy McGaulley ’51
Monopole Restaurant Inc.
Mooney Bay LLC
Stephens Mundy
Nancy Olsen
Payson & Stoughton Jewelers
Plattco Corporation
Property Management of Plattsburgh Inc.
Susan Quinn ’79
Riley Ford Inc.
John Schmitt
Texas Roadhouse
Joey Trombley
VFW Post 309 Auxiliary
Warren Tire Service Center
John ’70 and Andrea Westcott ’70
Russell Williams ’65
Joel Wolkowicz.