Mount Vernon Awards 26 College Scholarships

MOUNT VERNON – Mayor Richard Thomas awarded 26 scholarships on Thursday to college students from Mount Vernon.

The 26 college students will receive $2,000 scholarships for the 2019-20 academic year. The awards will be dispersed directly to the schools in $1,000 increments each semester.

“It is my honor and privilege to present scholarships to young adults who make Mount Vernon’s future shine brighter. These young adults have inspired the masses and elevated our city by excelling in education, volunteering in the community, and being valued citizens,” said Mayor Thomas. “The Mayor’s Scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to capable and promising teens, young adults, and adults who pursue higher education at colleges, universities and vocational schools….Academia is a priority and this is a shining example of how the City of Mount Vernon supports the continuing pursuit of education.”

Money for the scholarships was provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Community Development Block Grant. The program provides scholarship funds to Mount Vernon residents who are classified as low- to moderate-income and are enrolled in a community college, a university or vocational program.

The scholarship recipients are:

Baffour Amponsah-Antwi at Lehman College

Natanya Beckford at Hofstra University

Tahj Esmond Blake at Westchester Community College

Maddison Brown at Berkeley College

Messiah Brown at Mercy College

Jovan Cole at Virginia State University

Zarayli George at SUNY Binghamton University

Kaileen Germain at Boston University

Michella Germain at New York University

Gianni Hamilton at College of Mount Saint Vincent

Shamar Hyatt at Lehman College

Shirley Irons at Concordia College

Angelica Lavandier at SUNY Old Westbury

Sameillia McFarlane at Lincoln University

DonnaMarie McKenzie at Westchester Community College

Shynik McMillian at Tompkins Cortland Community College

Petula Miller at Westchester Community College

Jayden Noel at Fairleigh Dickinson University

Tiffany Oliveria at Iona College

Julian Orozco at Rochester Institute of Technology

Karisma Patrick at Alfred University

Shamicka Paul at Mercy College

Ygor Pereira at University of Southern California

Bryce Smith at St. Thomas Aquinas College

Damion Smith at Manhattanville College

Princess Thompson at Westchester Community College