Scholarships
More than 20 years ago, SYF started a national scholarship program to help graduating seniors from communities across the country pursue post-secondary education. Since then SYF has awarded $19 million in scholarships to help students pursue their dreams through education.
Graduating seniors who live in communities surrounding Simon properties are eligible for one-time Simon Youth Community Scholarships, and Simon Youth Academy graduates are eligible for two- and four-year renewable scholarships. In addition, Greg Saunders Legacy Scholarships are available to dependents of Simon Property Group employees.
The economic impact brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 left many families facing financial hardships, uncertain how they would manage the cost of post-secondary education. This year, SYF supported our scholarship programs at the highest level possible in order to leverage the greatest impact for as many recipients as possible.
In the 2019-20 academic year, SYF was pleased to award scholarships to students with academic promise, proven civic engagement and demonstrated financial need. Despite the economic impacts of a global pandemic, SYF awarded $1 million in scholarships to 283 high school graduates across the country.
Although SYF was unable to host traditional check presentations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked with Simon Youth Academy leaders to deliver scholarship in a box mailings to Simon Youth Academy scholarship recipients to ensure they felt celebrated for their accomplishment. Simon Youth Academies in Florida and Indiana congratulated their Simon scholarship recipients in a surprise and delight style! Teachers arrived at their students’ homes and workplaces with posters, scholarship checks, and other celebratory items to recognize their scholarship awards.
SYF believes that all students should be able to pursue their dreams through education, and hopes that our scholarship awards will help remove some of the financial obstacles students face in pursuing their goals after high school. With the incredible support of our corporate partner, Simon, and its Simon Supports Education initiative, SYF is humbled to help eliminate this financial burden through SYF’s scholarship programs, and help students pursue college and other post-secondary education opportunities.
Scholarship Spotlight: Rhiannon
With an aspiration to be a self-proclaimed, “boss lady,” Rhiannon credits Simon Youth Academy for giving her con dence in herself. In traditional classrooms, Rhiannon struggled with severe anxiety, and as a result, was behind in school. Attending Simon Youth Academy allowed her to work at her own pace, and realize she could accomplish great things as long as she worked hard. Rhiannon graduated in 2019 with a Simon Youth Scholarship, and is now studying business at IvyTech Community College in Indiana. Rhiannon later received a second scholarship from Williams Comfort Air for being an ExtraordinAIRy Scholar!
To learn more about Rhiannon’s story, visit https://syf.org/student-stories/
Simon Youth Academies in Orlando surprised their scholarship recipients with socially distant celebrations.
In December 2019, the Foundation awarded a post-secondary scholarship to Alexis Porter, SYF’s 20,000th graduate in 20 years!
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