New Endowed Scholarship Supports Hispanic Undergraduate Students
Mercy College has received a generous donation from Elliott T. Sweetser and Estrella Lopez-Sweetser to fund an endowed scholarship for Hispanic students who are in good academic standing and are determined to complete their college education despite financial obstacles.
The Sweetser family has a long history of philanthropy related to the development of children’s potential for transforming their lives. Mr. Sweetser’s late father, Elliott H. Sweetser, a prominent child development psychiatrist established scholarships for students at Boston and Tufts Universities. This effort is in keeping with the legacy of giving as far back as the 1800s with their Great-Great Uncle Cornelius Sweetser. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Maine who established several charities, including the Sweetser Children’s Home designed to benefit orphans of the Civil War. The Sweetser School today continues to provide school-aged children with a variety of challenges that are designed for successful learning.
Elliott T. Sweetser, is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Emeritus with expertise in insurance, money management, financial planning and investments. He is a member of the Center for Financial Planning. For many years he was a CFP practitioner with Mass Mutual. In addition, he donated time and expertise to teaching the concepts of Financial Literacy to high school students.
Estrella (Esteé) Lopez-Sweetser, EdD, a higher education professional currently serving as the TESOL/Bilingual Grant Manager at Mercy College, has worked in public education for over 45 years as a teacher, staff developer, consultant, principal and school district administrator for instructional programs. Dr. Lopez is internationally recognized for her work in empowering educators of diverse learners to engage in developing higher cognitive, language and academic performance. An author, college professor and researcher in the field of language, critical thinking, and literacy development, she is currently responsible for securing the $2.7 million RESET Grant from the U.S. Department of Education that established the advanced certificate program for TESOL training at Mercy College.
“Mercy College is grateful to Elliott Sweetser and Esteé Lopez-Sweetser for their generosity and their commitment to the College’s mission and students,” said Mercy College President Tim Hall. “This extraordinary endowment will not only ensure that deserving and academically talented students have the means to achieve their dream of a college degree, but that they will be freed of the need to focus on anything but their studies throughout their four years here.”
“My wife Esteé and I are fortunate to find ourselves in a position to be able to give back and support the bright and ambitious young minds of future generations,” said Elliott Sweetser. “We believe Mercy College is well suited to accomplish this goal.”
“There is nothing more gratifying to me than supporting all efforts designed to unleash the potential of our students,” added Esteé Lopez-Sweetser.