FinnU raises money for student scholarships

Finlandia alumni, friends and families donated nearly $11,000 toward student scholarships on Giving Tuesday this year. In total, 50 donors raised $10,976 for scholarships such as the Lake Effect Scholarship, Western Great Lakes Scholarship and Rise Together Scholarship, a need-based free full-tuition scholarship established in 2020.

Donors heard stories from FinnU students throughout the day such as Student Ambassador Danny Zuchak, a Finnish Strong Transfer Scholarship recipient and student-athlete.

“The Finnish Strong Scholarship allowed me to get a quality education at an affordable price. One of my priorities as a transfer was cheaper tuition and the Finnish Strong Scholarship was a large part in making that happen.”

Another story was shared by Finlandia’s Education Partner Manager Lauren Huested who engages with students from local high schools in their classrooms with sessions covering personal and professional development, career planning, FAFSA Q&A’s and many other topics revolving around student development.

“I get to work firsthand with a lot of our local students, so I do get to see how much this scholarship money affects our students and how it makes college extremely accessible to our students and the local community,” Huested said. “Every cent counts when it comes to scholarships, so every tiny bit can impact a student here locally.”

Hundreds of FinnU students have shared their appreciation for scholarship support this year. If it wasn’t for scholarships, most admitted they simply couldn’t afford college. With 100 percent of all domestic full-time FinnU students receiving financial aid, Giving Tuesday plays a most important role in helping provide affordable, quality higher education to all.

For more information about Finlandia’s Giving Tuesday and student scholarships, visit finlandia.edu/givingtuesday.