School of Music
Composition Major

Charles F. Hockett Music Scholarship
Philip J. Lang '33 Memorial Scholarship
President's Scholarship
Presser Foundation Scholarship

When Dominick DiOrio was seven, his mother, a piano teacher, taught him to play. By the time he reached high school, his musical interests included arranging, composing, singing, and conducting. His four younger siblings played instruments as well, and his father, a database administrator, had taken up the guitar. "He wanted to understand what I was doing," Dominick said. "That was how we connected."

While attending a summer music school for youth, Dominick heard a performance of a piece written by IC professor Dana Wilson. Dominick liked the sound and was drawn to Ithaca College, where he has since garnered several honors, including selection as one of four finalists for the American Choral Directors Association's Undergraduate Student Conducting Award. The original field was some 200 applicants nationwide.

"Ithaca helped me develop as a person and a musician," Dominick said. "That wouldn't have happened at another school because the faculty here inspire us to branch out."

Dominick has branched out by minoring in psychology, working as a part-time web designer for the Office for New Student Programs, cochairing the Catholic Community Visioning Team, and perfecting international recipes. Finding time for all those activities hasn't been as much of a challenge as finding money for his studies. "When you come from a big family, there's never much money to go around," he said. "It's been scary sometimes."

Scholarship support has reduced his debt load but hasn't eliminated it. For Dominick, though, scholarships hold another kind of value. "Receiving the Hockett scholarship gave me a chance to meet the donor," he said, referring to professor emerita of mathematics Shirley Hockett, a longtime supporter of the School of Music and herself an accomplished musician. "The scholarship was an invitation to hear her story and share my story with her."

School of Business
Business Administration Major

David P. Storch '75 Scholarship
Surdna Foundation Scholarship
John Sweeney '87 Memorial Scholarship

A valedictorian at a U.S. high school in her native Turkey, Tugce Dursun was accepted at several top colleges in the United States, including Georgetown University. She chose Ithaca College.

"There were two other people from my high school who had come to Ithaca a year before me," Tugce said. "When they told me they'd met students from Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan, I realized IC was a place to study business from a global perspective." Tugce had another compelling reason for choosing Ithaca: "IC was where I got the most scholarship support. I wouldn't have come here without that."

Tugce credits her professors with helping her adjust to life in the United States and with preparing her academically. She also thinks the wide range of campus organizations has given her a chance to build her leadership skills. In addition to serving as president of the Turkish Students Association and vice president of finance for the honor society Sigma Iota Epsilon, Tugce has participated in Rotaract (the youth Rotary Club), the American Marketing Association, the International Business Association, the Balkan Express Club, and the Orgullo Latino dance club.

"Through Ithaca, I've had a lot of opportunities," Tugce said. "And not just to study. I've worked for the World Bank in Washington, D.C.; I studied for a semester in London while interning at a major British public relations firm; and I interned at the Istanbul Stock Exchange." She's also held part-time jobs on campus, because even though scholarship support has significantly decreased her debt load, she's still had to earn money to meet expenses.

"After graduation, I'll be starting in the structured finance department at Ernst & Young in New York City," she said. "Ithaca has opened a lot of doors for me, and if I ever have the funds, I will definitely establish a scholarship. Scholarships change lives."

School of Health Sciences and Human Performance
Athletic Training/Exercise Science Major

Plus One Scholarship

When she was a high school gymnast in Colorado, Miranda Loetscher heard that Ithaca College had a very good gymnastics program. It wasn't the distance from home she found daunting, though; it was the cost.

"My parents are both teachers," Miranda said. "They were willing to pay as much as they could, but with my younger brother also headed for college, there was just so much they could do. IC was my first choice, but if I hadn't received scholarship aid, I couldn't have come here."

Participating in gymnastics at the College opened Miranda's eyes to a career in athletic training. Working with athletes under the supervision of certified athletic trainers was intense, especially when she was the assistant trainer for Bomber home football games and for the NCAA wrestling tournament the College hosted.

"I had always worked summers," Miranda said. "But because of scholarship support, I didn't have to work during the school year. That was significant, because it let me focus on my studies and clinical work. I have to say, Ithaca College did a phenomenal job of preparing me to be an athletic trainer. The certified trainers I've worked with here have been a great help getting me to the level I needed to be."

Miranda garnered several kudos, including the Athletic Training Professional Excellence Award and induction into the National Honor Society. As her time at Ithaca grew to a close, she received good news on two fronts: she passed the national certification exam on her first try, and she was offered a job at a sports medicine clinic in her hometown of Vail.

"All that hard work paid off, and things are falling into place," Miranda said. "Once I get established, I would definitely like to start a scholarship. It would be wonderful to offer a chance to deserving kids who are willing to work hard."

School of Humanities and Sciences
Musical Theater Major

Peter Bergstrom Scholarship
Campus Center Scholarship
Fred L. Emerson Endowed Scholarship
Ithaca Leadership Scholarship
Theater Arts Alumni Memorial Scholarship
Jane Woods Werly '27 Endowed Scholarship

If heart and talent were gold, Dan Petrotta would be on easy street. He's had a part in six Ithaca College Theatre musicals, including the lead in two. As an orientation leader, he put incoming freshmen and their parents at ease by sharing advice on campus life -- and doing a moonwalk onstage. He performed in two cabarets for residents at Longview, an adult residential community; volunteered at the Red Cross; and competed in the Mr. Ithaca contest, a tongue-in-cheek beauty pageant.

The first in his family to travel abroad, Dan spent his junior year in London. He's been a lifeguard for the YMCA and done computer work for a subpoena-processing company. He's also taken ballet lessons -- an adjustment for someone who played offensive tackle for his high school football team. All the while, he's hit the books regularly, maintaining a high GPA and being named twice to Who's Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

"I've had so many opportunities at Ithaca College," Dan said. "This place is nurturing on so many levels. It lets you take what you have and run with it. In London, for example, I took lessons from actors who performed Shakespeare at the Globe Theatre. My family never thought I'd be able to do that."

Unfortunately for Dan, heart and talent aren't gold -- at least, not yet. "My dream is the Broadway stage, and Ithaca's theater program was my first choice because it's very well connected to professional theater. Plus, I could take acting lessons in a top theater program and vocal lessons at a prestigious music school. My parents, though, aren't wealthy. I couldn't have come to this college without financial aid."

Even with scholarship support, Dan has had to work and take out loans. Scholarships, however, have reduced his debt load. "If I ever have the money, I will absolutely establish a scholarship," he said. "Making gifts to the College is wonderful, but when the money goes to financial aid, it makes a difference in a person's life."

Roy H. Park School of Communications
Cinema and Photography Major

Anthony Ceracche Scholarship
Class of 1991 Memorial Scholarship
Dana Intern Scholarship
Emerson Internship Award

Attending Ithaca College hasn't been easy for Suds Saria. Having grown up in India, he had to travel halfway around the world just to get here. Money has been tight. And he's preparing to be an independent filmmaker.

"I came to Ithaca to study broadcast news," Suds said. "Making films seemed like a very risky business. Once here, though, I had some experiences that made me want to take the plunge."

One experience was Janice Levy's photography class. "The assignment was to shoot two rolls of film, and I thought my photos were excellent," Suds said. "Professor Levy, though, was very critical of them. She taught me that you can't sit back and wait for someone to tell you how good you are. To express yourself honestly, you first have to be honest with yourself. It's necessary to be pushed. Once I learned that, I decided to go into filmmaking."

In addition to the good balance between theory and hands-on production experience, Suds credits the College for its creative approach. "Ithaca's filmmaking program is so successful because it encourages you to investigate your craft. A lot of other schools just prepare kids for Hollywood. It's filmmaking by committee. You'll never end up making an honest film if you study at places like that. At Ithaca, it's very much about finding your own path."

Finding his own path, though, has had a price. "Ithaca was my first choice, but I couldn't have come here without scholarship support. Still, I have to work two jobs, and I don't always have money for books and equipment, but that's OK. I want things to be hard. After graduation, I'm going to have to fight my way into the film industry. People are going to tell me I'm not good enough. Knowing how to sacrifice and handle criticism will keep me focused."

School of Business
Accounting Major

Ben Light '36 Memorial Scholarship
Borg-Warner Scholarship
Class of 1984 Endowed Scholarship
Forster Educational Foundation Scholarship
Student Government Scholarship
George C. Textor Memorial Scholarship

As a high school student in Kingston, Jamaica, Syrena Shirley set her sights on international business. After exploring her own country as well as others, she decided that the United States best suited her professional goals. She ultimately chose Ithaca College over 10 other U.S. schools.

"I'm one of four children and the first in my family to go to college," Syrena said. "My parents couldn't pay for everything, so financial assistance was crucial. Ithaca College gave me the most aid, so I came here."

Majoring in accounting and minoring in French, Syrena worked at a variety of campus jobs. She also developed her skills in communications and leadership through many service activities, among them a term as a student justice. The jewel in her crown, however, was a two-year term as student trustee on the Ithaca College Board of Trustees. "That experience gave me the perspective to see the big picture," Syrena said. "The board had some tough decisions to make, including authorizing a tuition increase. As a student I felt one way, but as a board member I realized we had information the students didn't. Being an accounting major, I understood what was at stake."

After graduating, Syrena joined KPMG International, an accounting firm with offices in 148 countries. In addition to mastering her new duties, Syrena plans to ask her employer for matching funds with which to start a scholarship in the School of Business. She'll pursue this effort with Ru Nyambuya, a friend and fellow business school graduate. "Ru and I feel it's important to start giving back as soon as we can," Syrena said. "It's nice to know we'll be pulling in the same direction in that regard, because Ru is starting a job at Ernst & Young -- one of KPMG's competitors."

Roy H. Park School of Communications
Television-Radio Major

Robert Reed Colbert Sr. Scholarship

Matthew Young could have gone to other schools to study television production, but he chose the Roy H. Park School of Communications because he knew he'd be a full member of its learning community from day one. "In most programs, you have to wait until your junior year to declare a major," Matthew said. "But in the Park School, you're engaged in the art, craft, and theory of television production for four full years. Having both newsroom and classroom experience is a real advantage when you head out into a highly competitive profession."

Matthew complemented his work in the Park School with internships at CBS affiliates in California as part of IC's Los Angeles communications program. He also interned at Time Warner Cable and Syracuse University's athletics department. "The experience at Syracuse was great because it opened my eyes to public relations," he said. "Still, I'd like to get involved with sports television."

Because Matthew comes from a large family, Ithaca College would not have been possible for him without financial aid. Though he has had to work part-time, Matthew says scholarship support played a big role in paying for his education. "Scholarships have definitely reduced the number of loans I've had to get," he said. "Receiving the scholarship established by Mr. Colbert was a wonderful opportunity for me and my family. Besides providing much-needed support, it reminded me that hard work does pay off. My determination to succeed is a reflection of how appreciative I am of such a generous gesture."

Success for Matthew means graduating and getting established in his field. It also means not forgetting what a struggle it was to get there. "There will always be families who lack the financial resources their children need to develop their talent," Matthew said. "Knowing now what scholarship aid has done for me, if I ever have the means, I'd like to provide a scholarship for someone else."