SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT IS "FOREVER GRATEFUL"

Meagan Kane

"From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher," says Meagan Kane from Fort Plain, New York, an elementary education major with a concentration in Spanish. While her parents help financially when they can, Meagan is paying for most of her education herself.

But thanks to the generosity of one couple, Meagan's financial burden for her education has been relieved and her dream of becoming a teacher is being realized. "I will be forever grateful," Meagan says.

"There is no better feeling in the world than helping someone learn and seeing that they understand." Meagan chose the College at Oneonta Foundation because of its exemplary education program and the excellent comments from former students and educators who see the skills of Oneonta graduates in the classroom. "Hearing this, I knew that I had made the right choice," she says.

Before enrolling as a freshman, Meagan learned she was the recipient of the Joan Melzer Lydon '71 Scholarship, established by Kathy '73 and Bob Lunger in memory of Kathy's sister. That year, she met the Lungers at the annual Scholarship Dinner held for donors and their scholarship recipients. The Lungers were impressed. "From our first conversation with Meagan at the dinner, we were amazed at the maturity of this special freshman. She was ambitious and had a real passion to teach. She was an inspiration to us. We knew the College had chosen the perfect first recipient of our scholarship." And each year that Meagan was a student here, she and the Lungers dined together at the Scholarship Dinner - sometimes with Meagan's family.

Meagan is grateful to receive the scholarship established by the Lungers. "Your gifts have opened doors to opportunities I would not have had otherwise," Meagan says. Because she was able to focus entirely on her studies, Meagan participated in the Honors Program, made the Provost's List for five consecutive semesters, and was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society. To further hone her teaching skills, Meagan volunteered as an after-school aid to teach Spanish to second graders at Center Street Elementary School in Oneonta.

The Lungers feel a real sense of satisfaction from their gift. "It has been very rewarding for us to have started the Joan Melzer Lydon '71 Scholarship. Our belief that scholarships are making a difference is reinforced when we hear the impact on the recipients who have spoken at the Scholarship Dinner. We look forward to adding to our scholarship so that more students can be relieved of the financial burden associated with higher education. As our first recipient, Meagan Kane has validated our goals in establishing this award. It is very fulfilling for us to think we are having an impact on the next generation."

To learn how you can help future students pursue their dreams at the College at Oneonta Foundation, please contact us.