CANTON – SUNY Canton has increased the amount of scholarship funding available from the college by $1.2 million through its new SUNY Canton Scholars program.

The recently unveiled initiative is exclusively for incoming on-campus students in select programs.

"We're committed to making college more affordable for our students," said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. "To demonstrate that commitment, we're dedicating $1.2 million for those who want to major in certain critical needs programs."

SUNY Canton Scholars will fund scholarships from $1,000 to $10,000 annually. The new awards come in addition to funding available through traditional Canton College Foundation scholarships. They also augment any Federal and State financial aid a student may be eligible to receive. Funding will be renewable for two years in an associate program and four years in a bachelor's program.

"We've seen a tremendous influx of interest following SUNY's free application initiative," said Executive Director of Enrollment Melissa J. Evans. "It's the perfect time to unveil our new program to place students in high-needs fields."

One of the defining characteristics of the new program is its unique selection process. Students selected will receive their award notification alongside their acceptance letter. The only necessary application process is to apply to SUNY Canton.

There are currently 12 majors out of the 30 bachelor's degrees and 20 associate degrees eligible for the program. Some have residency restrictions, where the college seeks out-of-state students. Other awards are for students from the New York City area. Scholarships available to North Country students include several renowned engineering technology programs.

"The SUNY Canton Scholars program is the latest stage of our plan to offer a low-cost, high-value education," said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Peggy A. De Cooke. "Combined with our career-driven mission and in-demand academic programs, we anticipate this will be well-received by the employers who actively seek our graduates, as well as invigorate on-campus life.

In addition to enrolling at SUNY Canton, full-time students must reside on campus and remain in good academic standing for the duration of their program. The first cohort of nearly 20 recipients recently received their award notification with their acceptance letter from the Office of Admissions. More scholarships will be awarded until all the funding has been claimed. The Admissions team encourages prospective students to apply now for consideration at https://www.canton.edu/apply/.