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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

New Scholarship for Sign Language Interpreting Students


In October 2010, Elisa and John Paul Mlynar made a gift to the Monroe Community College Foundation in memory of Elisa’s father, Charles Coleman. Mr. Coleman’s passion for education inspired Elisa to pursue a career as a sign language interpreter. 

The Mlynar’s initial gift created the Elisa Mlynar Scholarship for Sign Language Interpretation at Monroe Community College and will provide awards of at least $500 to fourth semester MCC students who are enrolled in ESOL American Sign Language classes and have been accepted to Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Keuka College or another interpreter training program.  Students must submit a 500-word essay describing their career goals and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible. A faculty committee will select scholarship recipients; preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need. The first Mlynar Scholarship will be awarded in Spring 2011; the fund is expected to provide one or more students with aid each semester for the next 20 years.   

Many MCC students credit scholarships for helping them achieve their educational goals.  Establishing a scholarship is one of the most meaningful ways of ensuring a high quality education is accessible to all in our community.  Just as every student has a unique story, so too does every gift; but there is usually a consistent conclusion: a student who is grateful for the opportunity, eager to succeed and inspired to give back to our community because of the support they received. 

The Mlynar’s desire to support and promote interest in sign language interpretation as a career choice will result in deserving students achieving their dreams of higher education at one of our nation’s most innovative institutions—Monroe Community College. 

A unit of the
https://www.suny.edu State University of New York, MCC will soon celebrate its 50th year serving the educational, economic and workforce development needs of Greater Rochester.  MCC has continually grown in degree programs, educational initiatives and facilities to meet the community’s diverse needs. Embedded in its history, MCC embraces diversity and inclusion, offering activities and programs to enhance the personal and professional development of faculty, staff and students.

The MCC Foundation was established in 1983 to seek and secure private funds to supplement MCC’s traditional revenue sources.  Through its ongoing efforts, the Foundation provides scholarship assistance, faculty enrichment programs, funding for educational equipment and seed money for innovative programs.  It is a 501(c) (3), nonprofit corporation that serves as a repository for all private, non-governmental gifts and support received on behalf of the College.

The Foundation has raised more than $50 million to support programs and facilities at MCC and has supported thousands of students with scholarships funded directly from donors. Currently, over 180 scholarship funds enable the College to award more than 500 scholarships.   These scholarships make a difference and demonstrate the power of philanthropy to change lives.

To establish your own scholarship, honor a loved one or person you admire, contribute to the Mlynar Scholarship or make a gift to the MCC Annual Fund, contact Mark Pastorella, Director of Development, MCC Foundation, Damon City Campus, 228 E. Main Street, Rochester, NY  14604; (585)262-1500; or <
mailto:mccf@monroecc.edu>. To learn more about MCC and the MCC Foundation, please visit www.monroecc.edu.

Diane L. Shoger
MCC Foundation
03/02/2011