Scholarships

The Summit Foundation distributes more than $120,000 in scholarships to local high school seniors and helps dozens of students afford a college education each year.

We encourage you to donate to an existing fund or to create a new fund.

Donate to a Scholarship Fund

Donors can contribute to any of the following Scholarship Funds:

  • Elevating Summit Students Scholarship is for first-generation college applicants who demonstrate motivation and have financial needs.
  • Summit Foundation Award for Perseverance is for students with financial need who have overcome obstacles and shown significant academic improvement during high school.
  • Martha Gordon Santiuste Scholarship is for students with financial need who plan on a career in education. This scholarship is intended to further Martha Gordon Santiuste’s legacy of inspiring lifelong learning and is available to students at Summit High School and Kent Place School.
  • PEP Scholars Scholarships provides financial support to PEP program graduates attending college. PEP, Providing Educational Possibilities, is a college access program for students in Summit.

Establish a New Scholarship Fund

Establishing a scholarship is a wonderful way to honor one’s legacy or encourage and assist students with financial need to pursue studies in a particular field. Interested donors can establish a new scholarship to be managed by The Summit Foundation. To learn more, please email [email protected].

The Summit Foundation also manages the following scholarships:

  • Adele M Lynch Nursing Scholarship offered to Summit High School and New Providence School seniors who plan to attend nursing school
  • Harry & Genevieve Kates Summit Kiwanis Memorial Scholarship for Summit High School seniors with academic achievement who are active in community service with preference given to students attending community college or vocational/technical schools
  • Albert J. Bartholomew Scholarship for Summit High School seniors with financial need planning further study at a college, university or vocational/technical school
  • Emily Bensinger Memorial Prize in Business Subjects for Summit High School students showing proficiency in commercial or business subjects
  • Arthur Torell Memorial Scholarship for outstanding Summit High School math students
  • Clara I. Wulff Memorial Award to a Summit High School student with financial need
  • William Treuchtlinger Scholarship for an outstanding Linden High School students
  • Gladys E.P. Cornetta Scholarship for a North Bergen High School students intending to attend a New Jersey college and pursue a career in teaching
  • Cole-Matreyek Trinitas Nursing Scholarships provide financial support to students attending the Trinitas Hospital nursing program

One Donor’s Story

two young women stand in front of a brick wallAira Poticano (Drew University) left, April Sanchez (Gettysburg College) right

Inspired by the Foundation’s scholarship offerings for college-bound high school seniors, a local family asked us how they could help grow the pie.

Together we envisioned a new scholarship, Elevating Summit Students (ESS), to help narrow the gap between college tuition and financial aid. Six donor families committed funds to launch the effort in 2022. Two Summit High School seniors were awarded inaugural ESS scholarships of $23,000 per student to be used over their four years of college.

The scholarship enabled both students to consider a wider range of college opportunities.

“Thanks to the ESS Scholarship, I am able to not only attend Drew University but live on campus. I really enjoy it because I get a sense of freedom and I am learning how to be independent!” — Aira Poticano

More Testimonials

“By awarding me the Adele Lynch Scholarship you have lightened my financial burden. Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community.”— Recipient

“I deeply thank you for recognizing me and for the Adele M. Lynch Scholarship. It has been my dream for years now to pursue a career in the medical field, and your contribution puts me at a significant advantage.”— Recipient

“Thanks to the Albert J. Bartholomew Scholarship I can reduce my work schedule to focus on my studies and complete the rigorous path I plan to pursue. I’m excited to see what the future will hold. I owe it all to Summit and the community I grew up in. I hope that one day I will be able to give back to the place that gave so much to me. Thank you again for investing in my success. I cannot express my gratitude enough.”— Recipient

Students looking for scholarships should contact their school’s guidance department.