Retiree Scholarship Fund

Funded by the Kingsborough Retirees and administered by the Retiree Group Committee, an annual scholarship is awarded in the spring to one or two current students, based on need, academic achievement and community involvement.

The scholarship is awarded to students who meet the following criteria:

• Has a GPA of 3.0 and above based on 15-40 credits and has passed all parts of the CUNY skills assessment exam. 
• Is currently enrolled as a full-time student and intends to graduate from KCC.
• Has not received any other scholarship from KCC. 
• Feels a deep appreciation for KCC and can express this in a well-written essay. 
• Is actively involved in one or more of the college’s co-curricular activities.
• Can demonstrate financial need.

We invite you to meet current and previous Retiree Scholarship Recipients:

2010 Retiree Scholarship Recipient

Esther Arden
Major: Biology / Occupational Therapy

Esther originally worked in the computer software industry in Bombay, India before immigrating to New York and starting a family.  After a series of personal setbacks, including the loss of her first child, Esther realized that she needed to return to school in order to improve her professional position and make her mark on the world.  The easy choice would have been pursuing an IT-related field, but Esther wanted to “leave an impact on people.”  The now-single mother of a special-needs child observed how beneficial occupational therapy had been for her son.  Her passion inspired her to enroll in Kingsborough where she is currently pursuing a Biology major with an Occupational Therapy Transfer Option before moving on to obtain a Masters in Occupational Therapy.  Grateful for her scholarship, Esther smiled and said, “Kingsborough offered me a new beginning.”

2010 Retiree Scholarship Recipient

Dmitri Bochman
Major: Nursing

Dmitri is an international student from Israel who is currently majoring in nursing.  He worked as a paramedic in Israel and as medicine has always been a part of his life, it felt natural for Dmitri to pursue a nursing major upon registering at Kingsborough.  Dmitri works part-time in the Honors Program to support himself while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and is on the Deans List.  He is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the two year Community College National Honors Society, that encourages and promotes the academic achievement of two-year college students.  He values his KCC experience where he has received the support of faculty and staff who have helped him cultivate skills and abilities he had not realized he possessed prior to coming to KCC.  Dmitri believes that his Kingsborough experience will better prepare him to meet and exceed his future professional goals in the medical world.

2009 Retiree Scholarship Recipient

Raquel Hudson
Major: Tourism & Hospitality

Racquel Hudson always loved traveling and working with people – which made Tourism and Hospitality the perfect field for her.  During her time as a KCC student, Racquel enjoyed participating in service projects at the college acting as a mentor to high school students in the Liberty Partnership Program, plus designing a prize-winning proposal to implement sustainability on campus.  She was also president of Phi Theta Kappa, the two year national honor society, and was keenly aware of how much the KCC Retiree Scholarship helped her.  She graduated in 2010 with honors and transferred to the Florida Institute of Technology where she is majoring in aeronautical management.

2009 Retiree Scholarship Recipient

Pyi Kyaw
Major: Business Administration

Pyi Kyaw, an international student, chose Kingsborough after finding through his research that it was one of the best community colleges for English as a Second Language.  After immigrating to the United States from Burma with his family, he began his life at the college working hard to improve his speaking and writing abilities.  Pyi was President of the College Discovery club, and it was at KCC that he delivered a speech in English for the first time.  The KCC Retiree Scholarship helped Pyi during difficult economic times, providing funds for tuition and books.  Pyi graduated in 2010 and transferred to Baruch College where he is majoring in International Marketing Management.