$1 Million Scholarship Donation Helped 200 New Students Begin Their SFU Journey

Loretto, PA — Fr. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., President of Saint Francis University, is pleased to announce the receipt of a transformative $1 million scholarship gift from a Saint Francis alumna who is a local resident and has chosen to remain anonymous. Her generosity directly supported 200 first-year students who enrolled at the University in August 2025.

The gift was structured to provide a meaningful and immediate impact for students with demonstrated financial need. The donor outlined several guidelines for distributing the scholarship funds. Recipients were required to be Fall 2025 first-time freshmen who demonstrated financial need through the FAFSA evaluation process. Each award was provided in a $5,000 increment, allowing a total of 200 students to benefit. Additionally, the scholarships were allocated evenly across all three academic schools, with two to three awards designated specifically for students entering the aviation program whenever possible.

Fr. Van Tassell expressed gratitude for the donor’s commitment to expanding access to higher education at Saint Francis University.

“We are deeply thankful for this extraordinary act of generosity,”  Fr. Van Tassell said. “This gift reflects a profound belief in the mission of Saint Francis University and the potential of our students. By easing the financial burden on these young men and women, the donor has opened doors to opportunity and helped them begin their academic journeys with confidence and hope.”

The University’s Financial Aid Office worked closely with academic leadership to ensure the scholarships were awarded in alignment with the donor’s vision and distributed equitably across all schools of study.

This scholarship gift represents a significant investment in the next generation of Saint Francis students, underscoring the power of alumni philanthropy in shaping the future of the University community.