Cheyney University Alumni Establish a Scholarship Fund

June 23, 2010 - PRLog -- What started in 1837 as a school to educate the descendents of the African race has become Cheyney University, America’s Oldest Historically Black Institution of Higher Education. Along the way, its graduates have worked hard at building a better world, one person at a time and continuing a long legacy of leaders and responsible citizens.  With its unique mission and rich history, Cheyney University alumni are committed to helping many others to find their place in the world.  Their longstanding commitment to the students and prospective students of the University has been realized by the recent establishment of a new CU Alumni Scholarship Fund.

Concerned alumni met with President Michelle Howard-Vital and key staff earlier this year to develop comprehensive strategies to support students and their families with restricted scholarship funds, mentoring and to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding alumni scholarships.  

The endeavor started as a result of students not having enough financial resources to complete the academic year.  Ms. Barbara Daniel Cox, Class of 1966, convened a meeting between President Vital, several administrators and concerned alumni, and as a result of this meeting, several workgroups were established – one being the Fundraising work group.  Thus, earlier this week, Fundraising Team Leader, Ms. Gaynelle Turner Lewis, Class of 1973, announced the CU Alumni Scholarship Fund campaign is underway – having reached the $40,000 mark!

If you would like to get involved, donations may be sent to Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Office of Alumni Relations, P.O. Box 121, Cheyney, PA 19319.  Checks should be made payable to the Cheyney University Alumni Scholarship Fund.  The goal is $100,000.00 by September 1st.

For more information on how you can become involved in one of the established workgroups, please contact Ms. Barbara Daniel Cox by email at bdcwrites@gmail.com.   For more information on how to donate to the CU Alumni Scholarship Fund, please contact Ms. Gaynelle Turner Lewis at by email at larue913@aol.com.

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About Cheyney University
Cheyney University is the nation’s oldest historically Black institution of higher education. It is also the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE.) Now celebrating its 26th year, PASSHE comprises Pennsylvania’s 14 public universities, with a combined enrollment of more than 112,500, making it the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. At its inception, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania successfully provided free classical education for qualified young people, and today the university offers baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 disciplines and six master’s degree programs. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.cheyney.edu.