NEW YORK –  “FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism” announced it will once again sponsor a series of merit-based scholarships for high school seniors entering college in the fall through its prestigious “FAITH Scholarships for Academic Excellence” program. In the past, awards have ranged from $1,000 to $20,000 in value. The application, along with a list of applicant criteria, can be downloaded from the FAITH website: thefaithendowment.org/FSAE. The deadline is June 30, 2016.
Students majoring in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) receive support for all four years of their undergraduate studies through the “FAITH Scholarship for Excellence in STEM.” To renew the award, students must maintain a 3.6 minimum GPA and participate in organizations related to the Greek and Hellenic Orthodox community throughout their college career.
FAITH Founder Dr. P. Roy Vagelos spoke on behalf of the other FAITH Founders saying, “The Founders of FAITH are profoundly pleased to support this important initiative and also support the best and brightest young people who will be the future leaders of our community.”

Vagelos, who was past president, CEO and chairman of Merck & Co. and is currently chairman of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, added, “A background in STEM subjects will be critical for obtaining graduate training and jobs in science, technology and engineering in the future. Our nation needs, and will need, people well-trained in these fields in order to remain globally competitive. Successful students who excel in these fields will receive a premium along with their award.”
Each year since 2004, FAITH has funded merit-based scholarships to some of the brightest young members in the Greek and Hellenic American community who rank within the top of their class. FAITH Scholars represent all Metropolises across the nation and enroll in universities ranging from UCLA to Cornell University to pursue a diverse set of career paths from Neuroscience and Aerospace Engineering to Education. These exceptional young people have played, and continue to play, an integral role inside and outside the classroom as leaders in their churches, communities and schools and garner high recommendation and praise from their mentors and teachers for displaying the scholarly intellect lauded by their Hellenic ancestors and a strong spirit of community service and good citizenship in line with their Greek Orthodox Christian values.
“FAITH is an incredible support in my education at Cornell University. I feel blessed to be a part of the Greek Orthodox Community and promise to use the knowledge I acquire to be a part of something greater than myself,” said Alex Bilzerian, a freshman Chemistry major at Cornell University who received the FAITH Scholarship for Academic Excellence in 2015.
For more information and to download the application, visit: thefaithendowment.org/FSAE. Applicants are encouraged to follow www.facebook.com/faithendowment for FAITH updates.

FAITH ALSO AWARDS IONIAN VILLAGE SCHOLARSHIPS
In February, FAITH awarded 45 full and partial financial aid travel grants to young people registering to participate in the 2016 Ionian Village Summer Camp program. Grant recipients will travel to Greece to learn more about their Hellenic heritage and Orthodox faith by visiting ancient sites, monasteries and cultural institutions.