The Foundation recently announced the awarding of over $630,000 in college scholarships to local residents for the 2017-18 academic year. Awards ranged from $300 to $5,000 and were given to 390 students who are beginning or continuing their college educations. Recipients throughout Worcester County were selected through a highly competitive process on the basis of merit, financial need and special criteria established by the foundation's donors.

Since the scholarship program began in 1978, the foundation has awarded $10.5 million to 7,318 students through 130 scholarship funds, each endowed by local donors with eligibility criteria reflecting various interests. More than 167 volunteers on 50 selection committees awarded the scholarships, the highest number of awards and annual scholarship payout in the history of the foundation.

Students from the following high schools will be receiving scholarships for the 2017-18 academic year:

· Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School

· Algonquin Regional High School

· Assabet Valley Vocational High School

· Auburn High School

· Bartlett High School

· Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School

· Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional High School

· Burncoat Senior High School

· Claremont Academy

· Clinton Senior High School

· David Prouty High School

· Doherty Memorial High School

· Douglas High School

· Fitchburg High School

· Grafton Memorial High School

· Holy Name Central Catholic Jr/Sr High School

· Leicester High School

· Leominster High School

· Leominster High School

· Massachusetts Academy of Math & Science

· Milford High School

· Millbury Memorial Jr/Sr High School

· Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School

· Murdock Middle/High School

· Narraganset Regional High School

· Nashoba Regional High School

· Nipmuc Regional Middle/High School

· North Brookfield High School

· North High School

· North Middlesex Regional High School

· Northbridge High School

· Oakmont Regional High School

· Oxford High School

· Quabbin Regional High School

· Shepherd Hill Regional High School

· Shrewsbury High School

· South High Community School

· St. John's High School

· St. Peter-Marian CC Jr/Sr High School

· Sutton Memorial Jr/Sr High School

· Tahanto Regional High School

· Tantasqua Regional High School

· University Park Campus School

· Uxbridge High School

· Wachusett Regional High School

· West Bolyston Jr/Sr High School

· Westborough High School

· Whitinsville Christian School

· Winchendon School

· Worcester Technical High School

The Foundation's scholarship program enables college-bound high school seniors to be considered for multiple opportunities through a single online application. The next application cycle will open in early January 2018.

For more information, please contact Scholarship Program Manager Beckley Schowalter at bschowalter@greaterworcester.org.