You are here

MassBay Student Awarded One Family Scholarship

Saturday, April 2, 2016

WELLESLEY HILLS (April 2, 2016) – MassBay Community College is pleased to announce that Liberal Arts student Linda Arena has been selected for the One Family Scholars program by One Family Inc. of Waltham. Eight-eight students from across Massachusetts are enrolled in the One Family Scholars program this academic year, which provides a combination of both individualized coaching and scholarship funds.

“We are very pleased with Linda Arena’s selection and delighted that One Family supports our students through the fulfillment of their full human potential, regardless of their means,” said MassBay Interim President Yves Salomon-Fernandez. “This is a very special award that will bring Linda closer to achieving her dreams. MassBay is both grateful and delighted for Linda and her family.”

One Family Scholars are students who are low-income single parents enrolled in Associate or Bachelor’s degree programs at colleges and universities in Massachusetts. One Family provides comprehensive individualized coaching focused on four areas: College Success, Financial Success, Career Success, and Leadership Success. In addition to coaching, One Family Scholars receive a scholarship that helps to offset both direct costs of college (tuition and fees) and indirect costs of college (books, supplies and living expenses).

”Linda embodies what One Family stands for: Someone who is working hard to earn a degree and make a better life for her family,” said One Family’s Director of Programs Matthew Miller. “We’re happy to support her and help her reach her education and career goals.”

The impact of the program has been dramatic. Over the past 15 years close to 300 Scholars have earned college degrees and, as a result, over 600 children have been impacted by their parent’s educational achievement. Linda Arena is one of three current One Family Scholars attending MassBay Community College.

“Linda Arena is a mature student who is on a path at MassBay to achieving her dream of a college education,” said MassBay Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the MassBay Foundation Mary Shia. “Being accepted into the One Family Scholars program has allowed Linda to focus on her studies and being a mom, and not having to carve out time to work to pay her bills while in school. The support that One Family is giving Linda allows her to see her dream come true and this includes plans to continue her education after MassBay. We are all proud of Linda and her commitment to succeed.”

Linda Arena is a single mother of two teenage children, living in Westborough, Massachusetts. Her educational and career goals include continuing her education at a 4-year university to study biochemistry.

“I am extremely grateful to One Family for their multi-faceted support and for funding the balance of my undergraduate education,” said Linda Arena. “This amazing gift will enable me to earn my degree more quickly than I could on my own, without the added stresses of tuition bills and accumulating loan debt. Their support provides a wonderful foundation on which to build a solid and secure future for my family.”

One Family is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending family homelessness in Massachusetts. Since their founding in 1999, their mission has been to collaborate with elected officials, faith and community leaders, businesses and foundations, and higher learning institutions to develop and implement innovative programs that reverse the widespread, chronic effects of poverty and strengthen lower-income and homeless families. Their missions grows out of a core believe that no parent and child should be without a place to call home in such a richly resourced state.