We Bridge the Financial Aid Gap
Since 2001 over $3+ million dollars in scholarships has been awarded to 390+ students
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What We Do & Why We Do It
Bridging the Gap
The Blue White Scholarship Foundation "Bridges the Gap" for students who are STILL short even AFTER having received all possible aid from every source within the University.
Villanova University reports an average 21% gap between demonstrated financial need and available aid.* Juniors and seniors are especially at risk, as they have maxed out their funds.
(*U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges Editions, 2014-2022)
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The average gap for our scholarship recipients is $14,000
Who We Are
Blue White Scholarship Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation composed of alumni and friends of Villanova University who want to "Pay It Forward" and help students directly with their tuition gap by awarding financial "Needs-based" scholarships. ​
We are also known as the Blue White Club started in 2001 originally known as the Wildcat Club started in 1973. This is the only nationwide and oldest independent alumni organization.
![ben franklin pledge signing.webp](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fce789_a1a1ea58d48c4d0f8fdbde1d58bd6fd5~mv2.webp/v1/fill/w_768,h_468,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/ben%20franklin%20pledge%20signing.webp)
Pictured: Our Scholars taking the Benjamin Franklin Pledge,( Dr. Benjamin Franklin is the creator of the "Pay It Forward" concept ) at the annual ceremony, witnessed by the Foundation's Board of Directors.
In 2015 one of the criteria added to be eligible for a Blue White Scholarship was a commitment to "Pay It Forward". Since that time each Blue White Scholar promises to help another student in the future and signs a letter which is a version of the Ben Franklin Letter he wrote to a person seeking help to get himself out of debt. Dr. Franklin asks that the repayment of the money he lent be paid back not to himself but to another person in need and then that person would do the same and so on. In this manner, a chain going forward would help not one person but many with his one investment.
Who We Help
![2017 Francesca cheerleading.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fce789_7d352050a8e14eeca147c3146414e2de~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_351,h_351,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/2017%20Francesca%20cheerleading.jpg)
1. We focus on students with extraordinary circumstances:
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-Parental job loss
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-Underemployment
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-Serious family illness resulting in high medical bills
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-Multiple siblings
2. We focus on students paying 100% of their own tuition
3. We focus on middle class who don't qualify for 100% aid
Pictured is Blue White Scholar Francesca Cocchi. She is now working in NYC an Editor for Today Digital an NBC Universal Company
SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA
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Rising Juniors and Seniors
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Financial Need-must have exhausted all possible financial aid
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Strong Academic Ability
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Superior Work Ethic-as shown by helping to pay their own tuition / expenses
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Commitment to "Pay It Forward" in the future so that another student struggling can get the help they need to stay at school fullfill their dream of a Villanova degree.
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We give preference to students with unexpected hardships or paying 100% of tuition on their own
Read What Our Scholars Have to Say
![Allyson Weaver.webp](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fce789_7daa11351d6b4721aa57ca7ff97965cc~mv2.webp/v1/fill/w_265,h_263,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Allyson%20Weaver.webp)
"Last year my father lost his job, causing the burden of paying 4 college tuitions to become the main stressor in our lives. When I got my letter from BWSF, my entire family felt like we could breathe for the first time in a while."
ALLYSON WEAVER
NURSING
![ANthony Passela'20.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fce789_b4b51bc9e2d3417d8f8aa28565088476~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_263,h_263,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/ANthony%20Passela'20.jpg)
![preston whitman.jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fce789_e610cb9177f7423b9fb9e6f454602171~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_263,h_263,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/preston%20whitman.jpeg)
"My parents went through a tumultuous divorce in 2013, and my Father stopped paying child support. It was tough for my Mom to support three of us on a single income. I worked part-time during the school year and fifty hours per week during breaks, but we still came up short. I feared I would not be able to complete my degree. I questioned whether college was worth it. When I found out that I received this scholarship, I nearly leaped up from my chair. It would go a long way in helping me, but it also more than that. It was validation. Since I knew the scholarship was based on need and work ethic, it felt like someone believed in me.
"In the last year my family faced an unexpected loss when my father passed away from cancer. This put an added financial stress on the family and put my education at risk. That’s why when I learned I received a scholarship I was ecstatic. Because of you I will be able to finish my degree."
PRESTON WHITEMAN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
More Testimonials
ANTHONY PASSELA
ECONOMICS & POLITICAL SCIENCE
OUR IMPACT
![student.webp](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fce789_ebf9fd1acec1493989b9aa262543112f~mv2.webp/v1/fill/w_93,h_109,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/student.webp)
STUDENTS
Assisted 375+ Students
2001-2023
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CRITICAL NEED
48% of students required needs-based aid
These students have an average 21% shortfall to cover tuition plus room & board
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Only 13.2% had needs fully met even after University grants and Federal loans
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SCHOLARSHIPS
$2.8+ Million Dollars Awarded