Anonymous benefactor gifts $1 million to SUNY Schenectady

An anonymous donor gifted SUNY Schenectady $1 million this month, bolstering the college’s student support efforts like a food pantry, mentoring, scholarships and high school-based college courses.

The gift, which comes as state and local budgets face massive shortfalls, marks the second gift of this size in the college’s 50-year history, according to a Tuesday announcement.

The donation will establish “an endowed student support fund,” providing investment income to support efforts that support students. Those programs include the college’s food pantry, a mentoring program that pairs students with faculty and staff members for an ongoing relationship and the school’s College in the High School program, which gives Schenectady high school students a chance to take college courses at their high school. The endowment would also support student scholarships and other efforts focused on student access and success, according to the announcement.

“Our student support services and scholarships provide the access that is often necessary for students to persist in their educational pursuits and achieve their goals,” SUNY Schenectady President Steady Moono said in a statement. “This wonderful gift will help us to continue offering all of those essential services for decades to come.”

College officials in the announcement noted the critical timing of the gift as students and their families continue to face the challenges of the pandemic and economic fallout.

“During a time when there is so much anxiety about the years ahead, the kindness of this individual is instilling hope for a brighter future for our students,” said Stacy McIlduff, the college’s vice president of development and external affairs.

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