“Being a first-generation college student and the first person in my family to be born in the United States, higher education was never in the cards for me. But my high school English teacher believed in me. She wanted me to go to a liberal arts college where I could thrive. Vassar was my top choice. I cried when I received my financial aid award. Suddenly, college was a very real possibility, and I’d finally be able to study what I wanted. My entire future was made possible because of donors.”
Texas Scholarship Fund
Vassar’s Texas Scholarship Fund was established by Mollie Lasater ’60 in 1995 and, in the years since, has been awarded to 22 students, with some receiving it for multiple academic years.
It plays a vital role in Vassar’s commitment to financial aid and need-blind admission by helping ensure that talented students from Texas—regardless of financial circumstances—have access to a world-class education.
Since the fund’s establishment, Vassar’s population of Texas students has grown, as have the costs of college. Currently, the fund has a market value of approximately $116,000, providing $6,000 per year in aid, while the average Vassar scholarship award has increased to $55,000.
A group of generous donors has committed $70,000 in challenge funds to match every new gift—dollar for dollar—to increase the value of the fund. That means your gift will go twice as far in supporting students and addressing today’s rising financial aid needs.
Make your gift today and help us unlock the full potential of this matching opportunity. For more information, contact Joe Mastracchio at jmastracchio@vassar.edu. View or download a printable overview of the fund to share with others.
2022–2023 Texas Scholarship Fund recipient
