These funds, which are made available through the generous support of donors to the College, are available to students in order to subsidize the costs associated with their participation in a wide range of high-impact learning activities. Preference is given to students who are able to clearly articulate and demonstrate the significant financial hardships or barriers that jeopardize their ability to participate in desired high-impact learning experiences. 

Donor Impact Report

female student
Emma-Cate Rapose '20

Stonehill College has created a Student Opportunity Fund to help hard-working, deserving students by defraying the costs of academically-related expenses beyond tuition.

Thank you for your investment in the Student Opportunity Fund, which is ensuring that our students can focus on enhancing their academic and pre-professional careers without constant worrying about financial barriers and limitations.

Awards received from this fund impact the lives of our deserving students for many years to come—facilitating their growth towards active and prepared professionals, and enhancing their academic and professional development skills for success in their future careers.

Academic Year 2022-2023

  • 80 students received Student Opportunity Fund awards
  • $27,825 in total awards was given

I express my immense appreciation for your generosity in assisting me in my pilgrimage to Italy. I am at a defining moment in my life. What happens within these few years will affect me for years and decades to come, both in my personal life and career. This is why being able to take part in such a positive, uplifting, and beneficial experience, both personally and intellectually, is so important to me in order to ensure and augment a positive future. I know it will be such an amazing experience in the short term, and resonate with in the long term, and I am extremely grateful to you.

Adam Garcia, class of 2025

Words of Thanks

Hear from recent recipients of Student Opportunity Fund awards.

Vanessa Castro '23

Brooke Riccitelli '23

Student Opportunity Fund

By the Numbers

$157,825
Total Awarded

Since the Student Opportunity Award's establishment in 2014

610
Student Beneficiaries

Approximate number of students receiving awards to date

$350
Student Opportunity Award

Average award amount

This award is helping fund my Chapel Choir Italy Pilgrimage. The most exciting highlight of this experience will be our Papal Audience at the Basilica, having the opportunity to sing and play for the Pope. I am beyond excited for this once-in-a-lifetime experience to grow in faith, community, and friendship with my fellow chapel choir members. Thank you again for your generosity for making this experience possible!

With Gratitude

Thanks to our benefactors, the Student Opportunity Fund supports the following student expenses:

Local Internships

Local internship opportunities supported by the Student Opportunity Fund often lead students to their desired career path and provide them with the experience and skills to pursue their respective professions. In some cases, it is because of the Student Opportunity Fund that students are able to afford to take these internships, which are often unpaid, without worrying about the cost of transportation and parking.

Academic Conferences

Stonehill students utilize the Student Opportunity Fund to attend academic conferences, many at which they present their own research and findings. Since travel and registration costs to get to these conferences can often be expensive, many students apply to the Student Opportunity Fund to help assist them.

Study Abroad and Travel Experiences

The Student Opportunity Fund assists with travel experiences that otherwise would not have been possible due to financial cost. These experiences include studying abroad, taking travel courses offered by Stonehill, as well as going on H.O.P.E. service immersion trips.

Graduate School Preparation

The Student Opportunity Fund allows Stonehill students to attend outside classes, such as exam prep courses, and take entrance exams for levels of higher education such as graduate school or medical school.

I wanted to reach out to express my appreciation for your generosity. Without your support, I would not have been able to attend the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) conference to share my results with fellow professionals in the field. Through this experience, I will gain professional skills, such as how to create a research poster, present key findings, and respond to questions from conference attendees. Additionally, I am excited to listen to other presentations at the conference to learn about current research happening in the field. Overall, the EPA conference will be a great step in my professional development.

I received a High-Impact Learning Experience Grant, and I wanted to thank you for your generosity. The funds will go towards the Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference held in Orlando Florida. ICDC will be a great opportunity to further my professional development and practice critical thinking skills. I really appreciate your generosity in my support.

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Your gift to the Student Opportunity Fund provides excellent opportunities to Stonehill students.

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