Cayuga, Foundation Expand Pathways Scholarships to Offer Greater Financial Support for Students

Cayuga Community College and the Cayuga County Community College Foundation are increasing available scholarships for high school students who earned credits in Cayuga’s concurrent enrollment offerings.

Seeking to create even greater financial support for promising high school students, the College and Foundation are increasing awards in the Early College Pathways Scholarship program starting with the Fall 2026 semester. The College will automatically award the scholarship to eligible students.

The Foundation provided a generous gift of $750,000 to increase the awards for eligible students.

“We greatly appreciate the commitment of our College Foundation, which has always been an excellent source of support for our students,” said Cayuga President Dr. Brian Durant. “This scholarship recognizes those students who challenged themselves in our concurrent enrollment programs. We’re excited to offer this award to these promising students, who have already shown themselves to be enthusiastic about their academic future and deserving of this opportunity.”

“The Foundation is honored to invest in a program that rewards ambition and academic dedication. This investment reflects the Foundation Board’s strong belief in the value of early academic achievement and in the students who challenge themselves through Cayuga’s concurrent enrollment programs,” said Foundation Executive Director Guy Cosentino. “These students have already taken important steps toward their future, and this represents a meaningful investment in our communities — helping to remove financial barriers as they continue their journey at Cayuga.”

The Early College Pathways Scholarship was initially launched in 2024 with a $100,000 gift from the Foundation, and has supported students who earned credits in Cayuga’s concurrent enrollment offerings such as Cayuga Advantage or the Early College High School programs.

With the additional gift of the Foundation, award totals will increase starting in the Fall 2026 semester. Students who earned 3-11 credits in high school can receive an annual award of up to $1,250, and students who earned 12 or more credits are eligible for an annual award up to $2,000. The scholarship is applied annually for up to two years for each student, and is applied after all other financial aid is applied.

Along with earning at least three Cayuga credits, eligible students must submit an admissions application and apply for FAFSA and TAP. Students must also enroll full-time the semester after their high school graduation and maintain good academic standing at Cayuga.

Questions about the Early College Pathways Scholarships can be shared with Cayuga’s Financial Services office at financialservices@cayuga-cc.edu.

For more details on the Early College Pathways Scholarships, visit https://www.cayuga-cc.edu/giving/scholarships/awards-and-grants/details/?id=150.