Gardiner Foundation Encourages Staten Island Students Enrolled At CSI, Other CUNY Schools, To Apply For NYU College Of Arts & Sciences Transfer Scholarship To Continue Studies

Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation Offers Scholarships for Students Transferring to NYU’s College of Arts & Science

Editor’s note: Staten Islander News has covered other scholarships in the past, including the NYC Kids RISE program, which allows the community to pay into a scholarship fund for NYC School students during their elementary school years that can continue to be funded throughout their educational journey.  The extremely high cost of college education has created a class barrier for those of low income who are seeking to attain higher educational goals, particularly for universities and colleges outside of the New York community college arena.  Costs of attendance at, for example, College of Staten Island are attainable for those of low income utilizing the New York TAP and the federal PELL grant systems, (whose maximum awards have not been raised in years), but some of the more prestigious and expensive colleges are out of reach.  Student loans have been a contentious issue in recent years, partially because they become due and payable regardless of graduation status or income.  Some students who are lower income are forced to leave school in order to work to feed their families, and they are still bound by these loans, causing a financial burden and strain on them in their lives. New York’s Conference of Italian-American State Legislators also offers a community scholarship program for eligible students. 

Riverhead, NY: Outstanding graduates of New York area community colleges will be eligible to receive scholarships to complete bachelor’s degrees at New York University’s College of Arts & Science (CAS), thanks to the generosity of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

The Joseph R. Attonito CCTOP Scholarship is awarded to students who matriculate at CAS through NYU’s Community College Transfer Opportunity Program (CCTOP). Attonito, who died in 2024, served as a trustee of the Gardiner Foundation.

Over the next five years, 20 selected scholars will receive $25,000 in each of their two years at CAS. Scholarship recipients devote a portion of their studies to the culture and history of the Long Island and New York City region as they secure a bachelor’s degree in their chosen field.

Students interested in NYU’s CCTOP program and applying for the Joseph R. Attonito Scholarship can review eligibility requirements on NYU’s website.

“We are delighted to continue our support for New York area community college students transferring to the College of Arts & Science at New York University. These talented, motivated students gain access to faculty and scholarship across the liberal arts, including the local history at the core of the Foundation’s mission,” said Kathryn Curran, Executive Director of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

Wendy Suzuki, Seryl Kushner Dean of the College of Arts & Science, expressed her gratitude for the Foundation’s renewed commitment. “The Joseph R. Attonito CCTOP Scholarship is a critical complement to the transition services we provide to students who have arrived from local community colleges through CCTOP, and a defining factor in making the dream of a top-quality education achievable. These students truly enrich our community, and on their behalf and that of the College and University, I offer the Gardiner Foundation my sincere thanks.”

CCTOP eases students’ transition from partnering community colleges to various NYU schools, with dedicated orientation activities and advising. The program, combined with the generous Joseph R. Attonito CCTOP Scholarship, can profoundly impact students’ lives.

Claire Wilgus (CAS ‘24) began her college education at a CUNY school to save money. “When I began looking into four-year institutions for my bachelor’s, I never imagined attending a prestigious school like NYU. Then my professors and advisors told me about CCTOP and encouraged me to apply. Getting that acceptance letter initiated a complete shift in the journey I had anticipated for myself. Without the generous scholarship, this would not have been possible.”

ABOUT THE ROBERT DAVID LION GARDINER FOUNDATION

The mission of the Foundation is to educate, cultivate and encourage the study and understanding of Long Island and New York’s historic role in the American experience. The Foundation also supports scholarships and historic preservation, including study, stewardship and promotion of Long Island’s historic educational aspects. The Foundation was established by Robert David Lion Gardiner in 1987. Robert David Lion Gardiner was, until his death in August 2004, the 16th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner’s Island, NY. The Island was obtained as part of a royal grant from King Charles I of England in 1639. The Gardiner family and their descendants have owned Gardiner’s Island for 385 years. The Island remains private and is owned and maintained by direct Gardiner descendants to this day. The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation remains inspired by Robert David Lion Gardiner’s personal passion for Long Island and New York history. Since 2015, the Foundation has awarded over $45 million to support historical societies, museums, archives, research, scholarships and renovation, restoration and adaptive reuse of historic sites.

Banner Image: NYU banner. Image Credit –  Richard Lu 

Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation

The mission of the Foundation is to educate, cultivate and encourage the study and understanding of Long Island and New York’s historic role in the American experience. The Foundation also supports scholarships and historic preservation, including study, stewardship and promotion of Long Island’s historic educational aspects. The Foundation was established by Robert David Lion Gardiner in 1987. Robert David Lion Gardiner was, until his death in August 2004, the 16th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner’s Island, NY. The Island was obtained as part of a royal grant from King Charles I of England in 1639. The Gardiner family and their descendants have owned Gardiner’s Island for 385 years. The Island remains private and is owned and maintained by direct Gardiner descendants to this day. The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation remains inspired by Robert David Lion Gardiner’s personal passion for Long Island and New York history. Since 2015, the Foundation has awarded over $45 million to support historical societies, museums, archives, research, scholarships and renovation, restoration and adaptive reuse of historic sites.