PATH Scholarship program supports economically disadvantaged students globally
Cranford – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ was selected as a 2025 Progress, Accomplishment, Thriving, Hope (PATH) Scholarship recipient through the Ellucian Foundation. The PATH Scholarship Program provides grants to higher education institutions worldwide to directly benefit students facing economic hardships and subsequent educational disruptions. UCNJ received $15,000 which will be distributed to individual students to help cover items such as housing costs, tuition expenses and food.
“The UCNJ community is deeply grateful for the Ellucian Foundation’s PATH Scholarship program. This support provides essential resources that enable our students to focus on their studies and stay on track to complete their degrees. By investing in our students, this scholarship helps remove barriers to success and advances their educational and career goals,” said UCNJ’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.
“Students across the globe are working hard to stay enrolled, but too many continue to face financial barriers that put their progress at risk,” said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. “Our 2025 Student Voice Report — which includes insights from ‘stop-outs,’ or learners who left college before completing a degree — found that 23% cannot afford upfront costs to return, and 15% are already too burdened by student debt. The Ellucian Foundation’s PATH Scholarship Program is helping institutions reduce these barriers so more students can continue their academic journey with confidence.”
The PATH Scholarship is provided by the Ellucian Foundation, established in 2020 by Ellucian, the leading technology solutions provider for higher education. To date, the PATH Scholarship program has provided more than $3.7 million in grants to 200+ institutions, supporting 3,700+ students.
“Institutions know better than anyone the real barriers their students face — and how even modest financial support can change the trajectory of a learner’s academic journey,” said Jen Welding, Executive Director of the Ellucian Foundation. “The PATH program is built on that principle. By putting flexible funding directly into the hands of colleges and universities, we enable them to rapidly assist students whose education might otherwise be interrupted.”
For more details, visit: https://stayonpath.org/
UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic programs and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to the Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Lab. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 10 community colleges in the country as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more about UCNJ, visit www.ucc.edu.