Ten students from Westchester Community College (WCC) have recently been selected to receive a S.M.I.L.E. (Success Matters in Life and Education) scholarship from the PepsiCo Foundation. This scholarship is part of the PepsiCo Foundation’s Community College Scholarship Program, which was established in 2021 to address the issue of underrepresentation in high-demand fields.
The PepsiCo Foundation’s community college program includes two types of scholarships – Uplift Scholarships for students seeking two-year associate degrees or trade certificates and S.M.I.L.E scholarships for community college graduates transitioning to four-year colleges.
The PepsiCo Foundation S.M.I.L.E. Scholarship awards two-year scholarships of up to $25,000 per year ($50,000 total) to students from historically underserved communities. Each scholar also receives access to resources such as financial literacy courses and is assigned a professional mentor from PepsiCo to provide guidance and support along their educational journey. To qualify, students must be transitioning to complete their bachelor’s degree in a business or STEM field in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited four-year college or university in the U.S.
WCC and the PepsiCo Foundation recently announced the latest cohort of 10 WCC 2023 graduates who were selected as S.M.I.L.E. Scholarship recipients. The scholars and their current schools are:
Daniela Bloom-Pavon – SUNY Binghamton University
Wellington Castro – Pace University
Sashawn Francis – CUNY Lehman College
Adriana McFadden – CUNY Queens College
Shirley Montenegro – Pace University
Tyfanna Moulton – Kennesaw State University
Ramon Perez – Kennesaw State University
Jason Uyaguari – CUNY Hunter College
Joan Waldron – Columbia University
Khayri West – Pace University
”SUNY WCC is proud to continue its relationship with PepsiCo to further our shared commitment to diversity and access in higher education,” said Dr. Belinda S. Miles, president of Westchester Community College. “Those of our students who were selected for the S.M.I.L.E. Scholarship have distinguished themselves for their academic excellence and dedication. They are typical of the thousands of students who come to SUNY WCC for an affordable option before continuing their studies at a four-year institution.”
SUNY Westchester Community College provides over 20,000 full-time and part-time students with an education taught by award-winning faculty at one of the lowest tuition rates in New York state and since it reflects the rich diversity of its region it was the first SUNY campus to be designated a Hispanic Serving Institution.
