The W.W. Smith Charitable Trust recently awarded its annual Fall Scholarship to 23 Montgomery County Community Colleges students.

Established by the late William Wikoff Smith, “the Trust is specifically focused on areas involving basic needs for food, clothing and shelter; supplementing higher education scholarship programs; supporting maritime education/maritime heritage preservation; and basic medical research primarily in Heart Disease, Cancer and AIDS,” according to its website. This year the private foundation donated $67,000 to MCCC students.

At a reception on Blue Bell Campus, five recipients of the scholarship described how they felt to be selected to receive the award.

“I was just excited,” said Emonn Sailes, a Business major. “When I first got it, I thought, ‘Wow, maybe I’m doing something right. Things are good.’ It gave me incentive to want to continue and to do good. It was so awesome, a great feeling.”

“For me it’s kind of that extra fire under your butt,” Psychology major Alexis Daley said. “I want to get to the point to do that for someone else.”

“It does help build a cycle of philanthropy,” said Psychology major Sam Sharoud. “Someone helped you out, now you pay it forward for someone else. It’s really humbling that someone who you’ve never met before, who doesn’t know much about you decided to help you just because they’re a good person and they thought you needed it. It really makes you see a lot of good in the world. It has more than just a financial impact.”

“I was shocked, and I was surprised at the same time,” said Business Administration major Katelyn Farabelli. “I didn’t enter into any scholarship, and I thought, ‘What’s this? They must have gotten my name wrong. Then saw that ‘Oh, no, it’s me.”

Farabelli said the last two years studying online during the pandemic was a struggle.

“There was a question of whether I would have to repeat high school, if I would have to repeat senior year,” she said. “But as soon as I got to Montco as an actual freshman college student and not a high school student taking college classes, it just flipped the switch in my brain. You have to work harder now. It was just very surprising, and I felt really good about it.”

“During my senior year of high school, I was also online entirely,” said Business major Anthony Wilson. “I was working a full-time job to try to save money to go to college. So, then my first year of college last year, I was able to pay out of pocket the whole thing. And it was really nice. Then other bills came in making it a little tighter. Then I saw the scholarship came in and it was a huge stress reliever. I’m still working a full-time job and going to school, so it was a really big relief off my shoulders.”

Eligible scholarship recipients must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree-granting course of study, a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. permanent resident, as per federal aid guidelines, a permanent resident of either (a) one of five designated Pennsylvania counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia), or (b) the City of Camden, New Jersey. Out-of-state students who gain residency status due to their college enrollment are not eligible for this scholarship, in good academic standing with cumulative and current (most recent term) GPA of 2.5 or better and a student with demonstrated financial need.

Brian Jones, a senior program officer at W.W. Smith, said the foundation was happy to hear how the money was benefiting students.

“We definitely wanted to have that type of impact,” said Brian Jones, senior program officer at WW Smith Charitable Trust. “I’m just thankful for all of you. Thankful that you chose the majors that you chose. Thankful you chose Montco as your college and it’s working out so well for you. We’re wishing you the best of success in your endeavors.”   

Dr. Samuel Coleman, Dean of Students also offered his thanks for helping students adding “it is a benefit to them.”

Donald Smith, Associate Director of Foundation Relations, appreciated the Foundation’s continued generosity. “We look forward to our continued partnership in the future.”

Established in 1983, the Montgomery County Community College Foundation provides scholarships for deserving students, grants for faculty projects, equipment and technology, emergency funds for students in need, support for cultural enrichment activities on campus and financial resources for other college programs and activities. The Foundation is able to make a difference in the lives of our students thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents, community friends, private foundations and corporations. To see how you can make a difference and discuss how your gift can be most meaningful to you, contact the Foundation at 215-641-6324 or .