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A $10 million gift to ����ֱ�� from an anonymous donor was announced today to support scholarships that address the unmet need for students in the Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services and the McKeown School of Education.

The gift establishes the Clipper Scholarship and provides significant support to students who are just over the cusp of Pell-eligibility and often left out of federal and state aid programs. The investment seeks to meet students where they are and helps fund the cost of attendance, which includes tuition, room and board, books, meal plans, etc.

“With our long history of preparing front-line workers who go on to serve the Commonwealth in healthcare, education and public service-related fields, a gift of this magnitude will help us maximize student potential by lessening their financial burden and helping them graduate on time,” Sami Ansari PhD, dean of Salem State’s Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services said. “I am grateful that the university will be able to provide more opportunities to our accomplished students who will one day contribute to the well-being of the public.”

The gift was made in honor of the donor’s parents, who graduated from the university in the 1950s. Reflecting on his own academic journey, the donor empathizes with those who struggle with the financial constraints in obtaining a quality education and says that we must do better as a society to help students with unmet need, sharing that “these students are the future of our country.”

“Salem State’s founding principle, seeing education as the great equalizer, is as important today as it’s ever been,” Cheryl Webster, vice president of advancement and executive director of the ����ֱ�� Alumni Association and Foundation, Inc. said. “Such extraordinary acts of philanthropy allow us to further invest in students as they build toward personal and professional success.”

“This gift, which is already having an immediate impact this fall semester, provides flexible support for students just above Pell-eligibility with approximately $11,000 in unmet need,” Vice President of Student Success Bonnie Galinski said. “Filling that gap allows even more Vikings to pursue their dreams and eventually graduate with minimal educational debt. Having the ability to consistently award significant funding to students throughout their academic career is life changing for not only our student Vikings but also their families.”

The gift represents a huge step forward for Salem State, improving the university’s position as a leading higher education institution committed to helping students meet moments of opportunity in an evolving landscape.

“Through our $75 million Meet the Moment™ campaign, we have worked hard to ramp up efforts to provide significant support for scholarships so that deserving students can take advantage of their Salem State education,” ����ֱ�� President John D. Keenan said. “Private philanthropy is critical to maintaining a rigorous, collaborative learning environment that encourages students to develop critical thinking skills so that they can have real societal impact. Transformative gifts of this stature help us raise our academic profile while ensuring students reach their fullest potential.”

“We are so proud to partner with donors who share our commitment to Viking student success,” Webster said.