2 MA Students Earn Full Ride To Framingham State

FRAMINGHAM, MA — This spring has not brought a lot of good news for graduating seniors across Massachusetts. Coronavirus has robbed them of major events like prom and graduation, and even just the company of their classmates.

But some parts of school life are rolling toward the future. This week, two graduating seniors got the good news that they will get to attend Framingham State University for free thanks to a special scholarship program.

Nicolle Fernandes, of Gloucester, and Haley Hadge, of Sutton, are the winners of the 2020 Mancuso English, Humanities, and Social and Behavioral Sciences scholarships. The grants will pay for tuition, housing, and food each year as they pursue their bachelor degrees.

In 2018, Framingham State English professor Halcyon Mancuso and her husband, Thomas Krebs, donated $2.5 million to the school for the awards. The scholarships are awarded each year to one student planning to major in English, and a second student majoring in either humanities or social science.

"To have the opportunity to attend college at no cost eradicates the financial pressure that stems from immense college loans," Hadge said in a news release. "As an English major with no debt I see my opportunities as endless as long as I apply myself to all degrees of interest that I seek out."

Fernandes is planning to major in political science with a pre-law concentration, according to the university.

"I have noticed that Framingham students are very interconnected and I cannot wait to see this for myself through extra-curricular activities, the classroom, and the help that is available if I need a hand," she said.

The first students to receive Mancuso scholarships in 2019 were Olivia Renda, of Westminister, and Meeghan Bresnahan, of Peabody. To keep the scholarship each year, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, participate in extracurricular activities, and write a paper at the end each year about academic growth.