Penn State York is committed to the success of all students. In order to support all students in their path to success, Penn State offers eligible students access to the Nittany Scholars Program (NSP), a Campus Access and Success program (CAS), formerly referred to as the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). NSP is designed to support capable students who, for various reasons, may not have the resources or social privileges they need to support their success throughout their college experience. NSP reinforces the Penn State values of integrity, respect, responsibility, discovery, excellence and community.
The goal of Nittany Scholars programming is to:
- Enhance academic experiences
- Foster personal growth
- Help students prepare for the workforce.
The program also serves to connect students to peers who share many of the same experiences to build a support system at Penn State York.
“When I was a student at Penn State York, this program gave me the support I needed to be successful.” —Ginia Bishop, ’16, Human Development and Family Studies
Program Benefits
Eligible students may receive financial support in the form of book stipends, gas cards, laptop loans, and other practical resources that will ease the financial burdens college students incur. Nittany Scholars students will have increased eligibility for scholarships. In addition to financial benefits, Nittany Scholars will also have access to exclusive programming including, but not limited to:
- mentorships
- financial literacy workshops
- career advising
- academic coaching
- networking opportunities through community service projects
Program Requirements
Students enrolled in the Nittany Scholars Program are expected to participate in specific courses, workshops, and advising sessions that are aligned with the goals of the program.
Who is Eligible?
The Nittany Scholars Program is designed to support capable students who, for various reasons, do not have the resources or social privileges they need to support their success throughout their college experience.
In order to be considered for the program, students:
- Must be a resident of the state of Pennsylvania
AND
- Must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- First Generation College Student (neither parent attended college)
- Pell Eligible (will be indicated on your financial aid package)
- Member of an historically underserved community (any group who does not receive equitable resources to other groups in the academic pipeline)
- Graduation from a Title I high school: Below is a list of the high schools in our area that qualify:
- Columbia High School, Columbia, Pennsylvania
- Hanover Senior High School, Hanover, Pennsylvania
- Lancaster School District (McCaskey campus), Lancaster Pennsylvania
- York Academy Regional Charter School, York, Pennsylvania
- William Penn Senior High School, York, Pennsylvania
- Participation in the Pathway to Success Summer Start (PaSSS) program
- Dealing with other risk factors that could impact college persistence and success