Mott Street Scholarship Program

MOTT STREET SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Nearly one in 10 students attending New York City public schools is housing insecure. They seek refuge in overcrowded apartments with multiple families, in shelters, cars, abandoned buildings, or even outside. Additionally, over 7,700 children are in foster care on any given day in New York City—facing uncertainty and fluctuating situations.

And this is just in our own backyard.

The good news? Through your generous support of the Mott Street Scholarship Program, Mount Saint Vincent is doing a small part in giving underprivileged youth who persevere through the challenges of homelessness or foster care—and who are academically and emotionally ready for college—a second chance at success.

The Mount is dedicated to serving these adolescents by affording them the opportunity to earn a degree. No other institution in the nation has a comprehensive program that supports the holistic needs of this struggling population of students.

You have the power to give hope to a deserving young person and change their life for the better.

MAKE A GIFT to support the Mott Street Scholarship Program today.

mountsaintvincent.edu/supportmott

“ The Mount became my home, both literally and figuratively. I’ve become a person who’s not bound to my past, but free to do, and be, whoever I want. For that, I have all the generous donors to thank—thank you for giving me a chance.

- A Mott Street Graduate

Mott Before the Mount

Once a young person experiencing the horrors of homelessness or foster care turns 18, public support and social services diminish to almost nothing—and they’re left on their own without direction.

Many of these youths are forced into minimum wage and, at times, dangerous jobs just to make ends meet. Most understand that earning a degree could elevate their future and help set them up for success, but they’re in need of knowledge and guidance on how to research colleges, explore potential majors or interests, and fill out financial aid documents.

The Mott Street Scholarship Program addresses these students’ diminished expectations for the future by showing them that their dreams are worthy of pursuit. At last, they are given a chance at security and stability to find hope in a world that has taken so much away from them.

Through partnerships with organizations like Covenant House New York and Covenant House New Jersey—which care for and shelter homeless and trafficked youth—the Mount is able to identify adolescents who are eager to attend college, but lack the necessary financial resources and support to apply. After a brief interview and tour of campus, these students can finally feel a sense of belonging and relief.

The College allocates resources to enroll up to 10 new Mott Street Scholars each year

Mott at the Mount

Once these students join the Mount community, it’s our turn to help them realize their potential and turn it into opportunity.

On average, over 85% of Mott Street Scholars maintain good academic standing

Mott Street Scholars give back over 500 hours of community service each year

Named in honor of the Sisters of Charity of New York’s first ministry—the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, established in 1817 between Prince and Mott Streets in New York City—the program is a direct extension of the Sisters’ mission in the Vincentian/Setonian tradition, where every student has the chance to receive a transformative, well-rounded education, regardless of family or financial means.

The Mott Street Scholarship covers all costs related to tuition, fees, and yearround room and board for students in the program. Mott Street Scholars also receive books, a laptop computer, health insurance, and supplementary personal and professional advising. While every effort is made to maintain their anonymity among peers, these students fully integrate into campus life at the Mount—joining clubs, finding internships, playing sports, volunteering in the local community, and exploring all New York City has to offer.

Meeting the needs of these students is costly. The financial commitment the College makes to enroll one Mott Street Scholar for a single year is in excess of $70,000.

But finally, these young people have a home at the Mount.

Mott Beyond the Mount

Even with the growing success of the program, new challenges arise daily.

Graduating Mott Street Scholars need additional programmatic support and guidance after crossing the commencement stage—not just during their time as students. Oftentimes, Mott Street Scholars do not have parents, guardians, or experienced friends to support them in navigating a job search, securing an apartment, or even building a professional wardrobe.

For this reason, the Mount is proud to have launched new resources to provide career coaching and, in partnership with our neighbor, the Hebrew Home at Riverdale/RiverSpring Health, housing for recent Mott Street graduates for up to 12 months as part of the “Mott Beyond the Mount” initiative.

Graduating Mott Street Scholars have the opportunity to extend their relationship with the Mount by moving to designated space at the Hebrew Home, where they can experience apartment-style living at a significantly reduced rent. While there, graduates receive career guidance and case management through a partnership with Depaul USA—helping them navigate through job searches or graduate school applications while saving money to successfully move out on their own.

No young person should have to return to the uncertainty of homelessness. We’re doing our part to change the lives of talented Mott Street Scholars—but we can’t do it without your support.

“ The resilience I acquired at the Mount and the ability to connect with different professors, staff members, and peers was transformative. I built life-long connections and I gained the confidence I needed to finally take charge of my life. ”

- A Mott Street Graduate