Scholarships tell stories on our campus. They’re the stories of generous alumni who create them, deserving students who earn them and the common bonds that unite the groups across decades.
It’s important for prospective students to know the difference between merit scholarships that are awarded at the time of admission and other endowed opportunities that invite applications once you’re enrolled at SUNY Cortland.
Did You Know?
- SUNY Cortland offered 865 scholarships to students during the 2015-16 academic year.
- More than 150 endowed opportunities are listed on our scholarships website.
- Awards range in amount from $500 to $5,500.
Merit Scholarships
You’re automatically considered for a merit scholarship when you apply to SUNY Cortland as a first-year student, which means there’s no separate application. As you might expect, these scholarships are pretty competitive.
Last year our Dean’s Scholarship, worth $2,000 per year, required a 93 unweighted GPA and an 1130 on the SAT or a 27 on the ACT. Our Presidential Scholarship, worth $4,700 annually, required a 95 unweighted GPA and a 1300 on the SAT or a 29 on the ACT.
Requirements change slightly from year to year and they don’t guarantee a scholarship. They simply offer a frame of reference for merit scholarship consideration.
Endowed Scholarships
These are the opportunities you want to check out every year, later in the fall semester. The application window for our endowed scholarships opened recently and the deadline to apply is Wednesday, Feb. 1. While these scholarships are limited to current full-time students — with some awards specific to academic major, volunteer work or financial need — we mention them to prospective students and families because they can pay off in the future.
So, before you continue reading, bookmark this page: cortland.edu/scholarships
That’s where our Financial Aid Office lists the scholarships that welcome applications. It shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to apply, assuming students have prepared their resumes and a detailed list of their activities. Any questions can be directed to our Financial Aid Office by email or at 607-753-4717.
Scholarships Tell Stories
One final piece of advice: Read the names and descriptions associated with each award. They give a nod to hard-working, selfless people who believe in the opportunity that a SUNY Cortland education provides. They’re people like Jerry Theisen ’53, M.S.Ed. ’58 and his wife Ethel Mahan Theisen ’55. The Theisens spent a combined 60 years in the classroom, dedicating their careers to the countless students who they taught.
![Ethel and Jerry Theisen met at SUNY Cortland, spent a combined 60 years teaching in the classroom and created three scholarships for future students.](https://sites.cortland.edu/explore/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/09/jerry-theisen-240x300.jpg)
“We were teachers all of our working lives,” said Jerry, who spent the majority of his career as a science teacher at Ossining High School in Westchester County. “Then we shared 22 wonderful years together before Ethel died, and I thank God for that.”
They met when he was a senior and she was a sophomore at the College.
“We shared a lot of memories together because of Cortland,” said Jerry, who today resides is Gilbertsville, Penn. “Every time we went back, we’d relive those memories. You remember the places where you first kissed, where you first said ‘I love you’ … those are the places that matter, and that’s Cortland for us.”
In 2007, they created a scholarship together in both of their names. After Ethel passed away is 2008, Jerry established a second award in Ethel’s name for a childhood education major because his wife spent her entire career teaching elementary school-aged children.
Most recently, Jerry funded a third scholarship for undergraduates studying to be science teachers and following his career path.
“We didn’t make a million,” Jerry said. “But we lived comfortably, and we were grateful for that.”