3 Buffalo Public Schools Seniors Awarded UB Tuition Scholarships

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Partnership Scholars Program has chosen three outstanding Buffalo Public Schools graduating seniors to receive full four-year tuition scholarships at the University at Buffalo.

The scholarships are being supported through a fund in which UB has matched $75,000 in funds raised at the university's second Scholarship Gala last fall to create the scholarship program for graduates of Buffalo Public Schools.

The three students, from three different high schools pursuing three different majors, make up the inaugural class of the Scholars Program, a joint effort between UB and the Buffalo Public Schools to support Buffalo public school students who have demonstrated academic success and a commitment to giving back to the Buffalo community.

"The Buffalo Partnership Scholars Program exemplifies our commitment to the students of the Buffalo Schools," says Mara B. Huber, director of UB's Center for Educational Collaboration, which oversees the UB/Buffalo Public Schools Partnership. "The message is that if they work hard and excel both academically and civically, they will have a place of honor at UB, along with the necessary support to help them refine and achieve their goals."

The three students will receive full tuition for four consecutive years of undergraduate work, an annual $600 book stipend and a laptop computer. They are:

• Lesthia Isaacs of City Honors High School who plans to major in psychology. A summer volunteer at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Isaacs has earned respect and admiration from her teachers for "emotional intelligence" and her accomplishments in the most demanding courses offered by City Honors.

• Terrence McKenzie of Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts who plans to major in civil engineering. A member of the National Honor Society with a grade-point average of 3.7, McKenzie is also an accomplished poet, musician and member of the varsity basketball and cross-country teams.

• Adrian Guadalupe of Leonardo Da Vinci High School who intends to major in management. The class valedictorian, Guadalupe has earned admiration from peers and teachers for his dedication as a musician along with his academic achievement.

The three BPSP scholars must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average throughout their four years at UB. They also are expected to participate in community service activities and leadership training.

The program is administered through the UB/Buffalo Public Schools Partnership, a program created in December 2006 with the goal of drawing on expertise across the university to improve outcomes for all students in city schools, and increasing the numbers of students who graduate from high school interested in -- and prepared to -- attend college.

"As we continue to work with the Buffalo Public Schools to enhance academic preparation while building new opportunities in higher education," Huber says, "we can begin to strengthen the PreK-16 pipeline, which is the ultimate goal for our partnership."

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system, and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.