News release from SHU and Bank of America:
Bank of America recently awarded Sacred Heart University a $15,000 grant to support the university’s minority scholars program, a mentoring and retention program that targets low and moderate-income undergraduate minority students majoring in the fields of mathematics, science, information technology and the quantitative business disciplines.
“We are very excited and grateful that this gift from Bank of America will allow us to assist more minority scholars with their dreams of achieving a college education,” said Mary-Lou DeRosa, vice provost for Special Academic Programs.
Established in 1994, the minority scholars program provides participants with scholarship funding and engages them in activities that range from academic support and career readiness counseling to community service. The program is designed to strengthen and expand enrollment of under-represented minority students in the targeted sciences. Since its founding, 193 students have participated in the program. Funding from Bank of America will allow Sacred Heart to expand the program, creating designated Bank of America Scholars.
“The minority scholars program has provided nearly 200 young men and women with the necessary support for academic and career success,” said Bill Tommins, Southern Connecticut market president, Bank of America. “Expanding the program will help to increase the local pool of highly skilled workers, particularly in the emerging sciences.”
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University, the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, offers more than 50 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on its main campus in Fairfield, Connecticut, and satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland. More than 6,000 students attend the university’s five colleges: Arts & Sciences; Health Professions; University College; the AACSB-accredited John F. (Jack) Welch College of Business; and the NCATE-accredited Isabelle Farrington College of Education. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its guides “Best 377 Colleges – 2013 Edition,” “Best in the Northeast” and “Best 296 Business Schools – 2013 Edition.” U.S. News & World Report ranks SHU among the best master’s universities in the North in its annual “America’s Best Colleges” publication. Sacred Heart was also mentioned in Money magazine’s ranking of Fairfield as the 64th best town to live. As one of just 23 institutions nationally, SHU is a member of the Association of American Colleges & Universities’ (AAC&U) Core Commitments Leadership Consortium, in recognition of its core, “The Human Journey.” SHU fields 31 division I athletic teams, and has an award-winning program of community service. www.sacredheart.edu
Bank of America Corporate Social Responsibility
Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic part of doing business globally. Our CSR efforts guide how we operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way across more than 100 markets around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. Our goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving. By partnering with our stakeholders, we create shared value that empowers individuals and communities to thrive and contributes to the long-term success of our business. We have several core areas of focus for our CSR, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. Reaffirming a commitment to develop and sustain a culture of service, bank employee volunteers contributed more than 1.5 million hours in 2011 to enhance the quality of life in their communities worldwide. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_Community.
