Independent College Fund Of Nj

INDEPENDENT COLLEGE FUND OF NEW JERSEY RAISES CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT AND DISTRIBUTES IT TO THE 14 MEMBER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THESE FUNDS ASSIST THE MEMBER INSTITUTIONS IN ACHIEVING THEIR EDUCATIONAL MISSIONS.

PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES REPRESENT COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN TO STUDENTS ATTENDING ONE OF NEW JERSEY'S 14 ACCREDITED, INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT, FOUR-YEAR DEGREE GRANTING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. GRANTS GIVEN TO THESE MEMBER INSTITUTIONS PROMOTE PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION, IMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES, INSURE FACULTY DEVELOPMENT, BUILD GLOBAL AWARENESS, PROMOTE COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ENCOURAGE LIFELONG LEARNING. FUNDING HELPS FULFILL THE GOAL OF EDUCATING STUDENTS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, INTELLECTUAL, AND CULTURAL ASPIRATIONS OF NEW JERSEY AND SOCIETY. THE INDEPENDENT COLLEGES DIRECTLY IMPACT THE WORKFORCE PIPELINE IN THE STATE WITH OVER 55% OF ALL ICFNJ COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY GRADUATES CONTINUING TO RESIDE HERE. IN 2020, INDEPENDENT COLLEGE FUND OF NEW JERSEY AWARDED 137 SCHOLARSHIPS AND 29 RESEARCH GRANTS AND 7 SPECIAL PROJECT GRANTS. STUDENTS WERE OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT VIRTUALLY WITH LEAD EMPLOYERS THROUGH SPECIAL SESSIONS ON TOPICS RANGING FROM CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN ACCOUNTING FIRMS FOR THE NON-ACCOUNTING GRADUATE TO PREPARING FOR THE VIRTUAL INTERVIEW. PROFESSIONAL PANEL MEMBERS WERE RECRUITED FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO JUDGE STUDENT DRIVEN RESEARCH FINDING PRESENTATIONS AS PART OF THE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM. STUDENTS CAPITALIZED ON LITERARY RESEARCH TO CREATE MORE PRODUCTIVE LAB SESSIONS IN A HIGHLY RESTRICTED ACCESS ENVIRONMENT GIVEN CONCERNS ABOUT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. A SERIES OF INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS WERE HELD TO ASSIST COLLEGES IN CLASSROOM, DORM AND BUILDING PREPARATION FOR THE RETURN OF STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF ON CAMPUS FOLLOWING THE INITIAL PANDEMIC OUTBREAK.SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS RECEIVED WELLNESS MESSAGES AND WERE OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE THEIR REMOTE LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THIS WAS OFFERED TO REDUCE THE SENSE OF ISOLATION FOR STUDENTS AND TO DEMONSTRATE THAT GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM CONTINUED TO EXIST DURING THE PANDEMIC. STUDENT SHOWED TREMENDOUS RESILIENCY IN DEVELOPING NEW SOCIAL AND LEARNING GROUPS, IDENTIFYING WAYS TO GIVE BACK ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATED TO FOOD INSECURITY. THE CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION WHICH HAS LONG BEEN A NEW JERSEY TRADEMARK WAS CLEAR AND EVIDENT IN THE STUDENTS WHO RESPONDED. SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROGRESS TOWARD DEGREE COMPLETION WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS. ICFNJ BUILT AN EMERGENCY AID FUND BY UTILIZING THE SUPPORT NORMALLY GARNERED FOR EVENTS TO HELP STUDENTS FACING UNEXPECTED CRISES BROUGHT ON MY THE PANDEMIC, RESULTING ECONOMIC IMPACT OR HEALTH CONCERNS. THROUGH THE EMERGENCY AID FUND STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES RECEIVED HELP ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY, HOUSING INSTABILITY AND MEDICAL NEEDS. THIS ONE TIME GIFT HELPED STUDENTS OVERCOME A FINANCIAL CHALLENGE THAT WAS A POTENTIAL BARRIER TO COLLEGE PERSISTENCE AND DEGREE COMPLETION.