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Bloomsburg University Foundation Celebrates Record Year With More than $7.5 Million in Student Support

Bloomsburg, PA (05/30/2025) — The Bloomsburg University Foundation is celebrating a record-setting year in student support, providing $7.5 million in donor-funded scholarships, grants, and program support to students in the 2023-24 academic year-the highest total in the Foundation's history.

This milestone reflects a significant leap from the five-year average of $4.4 million and a continued upward trend following $5.7 million awarded last year. Of the $7.5 million total, $5 million was awarded in scholarships and grants, while $2.5 million directly supported programs that enhance student learning, engagement, and professional experience opportunities.

The Foundation honored both donors and student recipients at its annual Scholarship Luncheon in late April, where 127 scholarship students gathered to thank the individuals and organizations who are helping them succeed.

"Your generosity allows us to keep a Bloomsburg education the most affordable of all the state schools in Pennsylvania," said Commonwealth University President Bashar Hanna as he addressed the donors in attendance. "That doesn't happen by chance-it happens because you believe in our students and in their potential. For us to be able to reduce the cost of attendance is nothing short of a miracle. And you are the catalysts for that miracle, and we will forever be grateful."

This record year comes as the Bloomsburg University Foundation advances The Campaign for Bloomsburg: It Starts With Us, a historic $100 million comprehensive fundraising campaign focused on attracting, preparing, and elevating students. To date, $87.6 million has already been secured toward that goal.

"With every scholarship awarded to the University through the generosity of donors, we're not just funding education-we're investing in futures," said Stephanie Ulmer, Assistant Vice President of Operations at the Bloomsburg University Foundation. "That's the heart of our $100 million comprehensive campaign. Every one of you is a part of this remarkable progress."

Donor speaker Josh Sonntag '14 shared a heartfelt reflection on his own journey and why he chose to establish a scholarship to give back. "Bloomsburg took a chance on me-a chance no other university even considered," Sonntag said. "That gratefulness, and my interest in education and giving back, led me to start a scholarship for students like me. None of this would have been possible if Bloomsburg hadn't believed in me first."

Recent graduate and scholarship recipient Hailey Hukill '24 also took to the podium to share her journey as a first-generation college student. "There were moments I thought I wouldn't be able to go to college at all," Hukill said. "But Bloomsburg welcomed me, worked with me, and supported me through scholarships. I had a scholarship donor who would help me in any way I needed to reach my professional goals, and that made all the difference. Because of that support, I graduated early with honors and secured two jobs in my field. I am so thankful and ready to give back in the future."

The Bloomsburg University Foundation remains committed to empowering student success and creating a lasting legacy of support through philanthropy. To learn more about supporting scholarships for Bloomsburg students, visit: giving.bloomu.edu.

Media Attachments

This year’s student scholarship recipients gathered on the steps of Carver Hall during the Scholarship Luncheon to show their appreciation for the generous donors who make their education possible.

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