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Issue date: 2/1/07 Section: News

In photo, from left, are: Todd Hutton, president of Utica College; Yasmine Bowens, Young Scholar student, currently a senior at Proctor High School; Flossie Mitchell, director of the Young Scholars Liberty Partnerships Program; Stephen Gorczynski, HSBC senior vice president and commercial executive; Amber Clarke, HSBC vice president, commercial lending.

HSBC in the Community (USA) Inc. has awarded a $25,000 grant to Utica College to create the HSBC Endowed Scholarship for Underrepresented Students.

This scholarship will be awarded to students who have successfully completed the Young Scholars Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) and seek a higher education at Utica College.

The Young Scholars LPP is a collaborative project between Utica College and the Utica City School District to meet the challenge of motivating underrepresented students in grades six through 12 to stay in school, earn a New York State Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation and pursue post-secondary education.

The process begins with Utica City School District teachers, who nominate sixth graders they recognize that posses the potential for success in secondary and post-secondary education, but may be struggling because of social and economic risk factors.

Young Scholars provides academic, social and cultural enrichment. The program works to help students maintain academic success with a C or better average. It also works to develop students' personal characteristics, increase individualism and inspire community interest.

Year round, the Young Scholars program provides counseling by social workers and staff, community service, enrichment activities and career exploration, mentor programs involving community members, and parent involvement and parent education programs.

September through June, they provide academic support, tutoring, and special review sessions, and in July they provide a summer program on the Utica College campus. To date, 96 percent of the Young Scholars completing the program have graduated from high school; with 77 percent going on to enroll in institutions of higher education.

Utica College offers admission to all students who successfully complete the program. If eligible, students will receive financial assistance in the form of scholarships, grants, loans and work-study.

HSBC established HSBC in the Community (USA) Inc., to carry out its mission with a philanthropic strategy focused primarily on two critical issues, education and the environment. Education, it feels, is the key to solving many of society's problems, and to assuring the availability of tomorrow's workers, leaders and consumers for our nation.

The Foundation defines education in its broadest terms and concentrates on those less fortunate - underprivileged young people and schools in economically deprived areas.

The first scholarships will be awarded to The HSBC Young Scholars in 2007.

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