It’s hard to believe that Ukraine has been defending themselves from Russian invasion since February 2022. In that time, thousands of people have been killed, and no area is safe from constant bombings and other attacks. Yet for the citizens of the war-torn country, life must go on. People get up and go to work each day, children go to school, and young adults dream of escaping to the safety of university campuses in safer countries.
Thanks to Sam Rose, an attorney and real estate developer in Washington, D.C., five students from Ukraine are getting that very opportunity, and then some! Sam is a 1958 graduate of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He’s one of the school’s most generous alumni, and he is determined to use his wealth to help “level the playing field” for students from different social and economic backgrounds.
In 2000, Sam was the philanthropist who started the Samuel G. Rose ‘58 Scholarship at Dickinson, which is designed to award scholarships to students from economically disadvantaged urban areas. He started the fund with a $200,000 donation, then added $5 million more over the next seven years.
Over twenty years later, Sam decided to start another scholarship, this time to benefit Ukrainian students specifically. Sam’s maternal grandfather was Ukrainian and born in Kyiv, so he feels a special connection to the country. The newly-established Sam Rose ’58 International Scholarship offers five students currently living in Ukraine a full-ride scholarship, including all tuition, room and board, travel costs, and a monthly stipend for all four years!
Dickinson President John E. Jones III had the honor of telling each student the good news over video conference. Each of these conversations were recorded, and seeing the faces of these students when they hear this life-changing news is sure to give any viewer a huge rush of dopamine. It’s hard to hold back the tears as we see the surprise and gratitude register on their faces!
Each of Sam’s scholarships is designed to give economically-strapped students a leg up. Sam himself was raised in a poor neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland and he completed his degree at Dickinson with the aid of a 50/50 scholarship-loan. Once he earned his law degree and built his career, he has spent most of his life giving back in the form of scholarships and donations.
“Education is a great place to make an investment,” Sam stated. “These students have endured more than a year of war in their homeland, and I’m happy to give them the opportunity to succeed with a life-changing Dickinson education to become leaders and problem-solvers.”
Sam is certainly paying it forward! He has already helped so many students, and now his reach is extending even further across the globe. We’re so happy for these 5 students, and all the future students whose lives will be forever changed because of one person’s generosity.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!
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