Good grades are a great start. But a good heart is just as important.
Dreaming of being able to further your education, but not sure how to pay for it? Here is your chance to earn a scholarship award from Berkshire Bank through our NeXt Gen Scholars program. Our NeXt Gen scholars embody academic excellence, while also sharing our company’s commitment to community service and volunteerism. They have overcome obstacles and are the doers of good deeds. Recipients share our values: Belonging, Focusing, Inclusion, Respect, Service and Teamwork and at their core possess an unsurpassed passion to improve the lives of those around them. The program is open to all high school seniors, current college students or adults who are pursuing an undergraduate degree from an accredited non-profit college or technical school. Twenty (20) of the best and brightest students across our markets will each receive a $2,500 scholarship toward their tuition. Do you think you have what it takes? Learn more about the application and selection process below.
Applications are due by 11:59pm on January 31, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.
Details
Massachusetts: Eight (8) scholarships are available in Massachusetts for individuals whose primary residence or educational institution is located in one of the following counties:
- Berkshire County, MA
- Hampden County, MA
- Hampshire County, MA
- Franklin County, MA
- Worcester County, MA
- Middlesex County, MA
- Essex County, MA
- Suffolk County, MA
- Norfolk County, MA
New York: Five (5) scholarships are available in New York for individuals whose primary residence or educational institution is located in one of the following counties:
- Albany County, NY
- Schenectady County, NY
- Saratoga County, NY
- Washington County, NY
- Columbia County, NY
- Warren County, NY
- Rensselaer County, NY
- Fulton County, NY
- Montgomery County, NY
- Onondaga County, NY
- Oneida County, NY
- Herkimer County, NY
- Madison County, NY
Connecticut: Three (3) scholarships are available in Connecticut for individuals whose primary residence or educational institution is located in one of the following counties:
- Hartford County, CT
- Tolland County, CT
- Windham County, CT
Vermont: Two (2) scholarships are available in Vermont for individuals whose primary residence or educational institution is located in one of the following counties:
- Bennington County, VT
- Rutland County, VT
- Windsor County, VT
Rhode Island: Two (2) scholarship is available in Rhode Island for individuals whose primary residence or educational institution is located in one of the following counties:
- Newport County, RI
- Washington, County, RI
Program Guidelines & Priorities:
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- US Citizen whose primary residence or educational institution is located in one of the states/counties listed above.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- History of community service/volunteerism
- Total family annual income under $100,000 or total individual income under $50,000
- Pursuing an undergraduate degree from an accredited non-profit two or four year college or technical school
Scholarship funds will be paid directly to the financial institution for the individual’s first semester of the fall enrollment year. It is the individual’s responsibility to submit to the Foundation at that time an invoice for first semester tuition and fees, student ID number and college information. Failure to do so will result in a forfeiture of the award.
Individuals who have previously received a scholarship award from Berkshire Bank are not eligible to re-apply.
Children of Berkshire Bank employees are eligible to apply and should contact the Foundation office directly for more information. Berkshire Bank employees are not eligible for the program.
Decision Process: All completed applications will be reviewed by a committee of volunteers from Berkshire Bank and scored against other applications from the same geographic region. The top scoring applications in each region will receive the allotted scholarships. Decisions will be made and winners notified.
Questions: If you have any questions or need additional information please email: [email protected]. In the subject line, please state - scholarship question.
IMPORTANT… Protect yourself from possible e-mail fraud threats Berkshire Bank will never request your confidential information through an email. Contact us at 800-773-5601 to verify any email request or to report suspicious emails.