Grants & Scholarships
The FCAA provides a number of grants and scholarships each year to qualifying Fordham College at Rose Hill students.
Ellie Harkins, FCRH ’28, Receives FCAA George McMahon, S.J. Travel Fellowship
From Cleveland, Ohio, Ellie Harkins is a junior at Fordham University at Rose Hill. She is double-majoring in African American studies and psychology with a minor in theology on a pre-law track.
At Fordham, Ellie runs on the Division I track and field team, where she competes in hurdles, specializing in the 400-meter hurdles.
2026 Research Symposium Award to Stephania Lopez
Stephania N. Lopez presented her honors thesis, “The Impact of Language of Administration on Blood Pressure Outcomes and Patient-Provider Communication in Multilingual Telehealth” at Fordham’s 19th Annual Undergraduate Research 
Symposium. A competitive $4,000 Fordham College Alumni Association Undergraduate Research Grant funded her work.
Stephania’s examined how language concordance and interpreter mediation shape medication adherence and patient-provider communication among cardiovascular patients in Elmhurst, Queens. Her findings revealed that interpreter-mediated sessions systematically compressed patients’ disclosures of social and economic barriers, limiting clinicians’ ability to respond to the structural factors shaping patient health.
“I am beyond honored to have received this award, grateful to the FCAA board for their commitment to recognizing excellence in student research and for affirming work that is deeply personal to me,” said Stephania. “This research came from my own family’s experience navigating healthcare as Cuban immigrants in the U.S. I’m also grateful for the encouragement to keep pushing the boundaries of what undergraduate scholarship can achieve.”
Originally from Miami, FL, Stephania doubled majored in psychology and political science. A Matteo Ricci Scholar, she graduated summa cum laude and received the James C. Higgins Memorial Award, the highest honor bestowed by the department of psychology.
Stephania built a multifaceted research portfolio across clinical and community-based settings. She served as a research assistant in Dr. Lindsay Till Hoyt’s 3D Youth Research Lab at Fordham, studying sociopolitical distress in diverse emerging adults. She is also a senior clinical research intern in Dr. Tobias Loddenkemper’s pediatric epilepsy lab at Boston Children’s Hospital, leading a team of four interns studying epilepticus and social determinants of health. Her earlier work as a clinical research assistant in Dr. Rachel Annunziato’s Pediatric Psychology & Health Behaviors Lab led to a co-authored publication in Pediatric Transplantation and set the foundation for her honors thesis.
On campus, Stephania was vice president of Fordham’s Psi Chi Honor Society chapter and committee chair of Fordham Club’s Diversiphi, leading inclusion-centered storytelling initiatives.
The Rev. George J. McMahon, S.J.,
Endowed Scholarship Fund
The most recent McMahon Scholarship recipient is Grace Pak, FCLC ’27. From Carlisle, PA, she is in the Honors Program as a Journalism major, with a minor in Film and Television. She is also the Assistant Stage Manager for the Musical Theatre Club’s production of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, and plans to complete a media related internship next semester.
A theater aficionado, Grace loves living in Manhattan and seizes every opportunity to see a Broadway or Off-Broadway show.
On the scholarship, Grace said, “It continues to be the greatest gift I have ever received. It allows me to take on commitments like stage managing a musical, rather than needing to find a paid position to cover my college expenses. It is truly such a blessing to be able to focus on my passions and academics during my undergraduate years. We are all very thankful that my education is taken care of by the generous donors of the Fordham College Alumni Association.”
The McMahon Scholarship, created by the Class of 1966, provides tuition, room and board to exceptional students and honors Rev. George McMahon, former Dean of Fordham College, cherished by generations of students.
FCAA Encaenia Award 2026 to Luca Amaturo
Pictured: Awardee Luca Amaturo receiving the Fordham chair from FCAA Treasurer Kris Venezia.
The Rev. Joseph M. McShane, SJ, FCAA Student Achievement Award to Hunter McMahon Foster
Hunter McMahon Foster is this year’s recipient of the Rev. Joseph M. McShane, SJ, FCAA Student Achievement Award, presented to a student who does not enter Fordham on scholarship, but makes great strides as a student. It is named for Father McShane, the former Fordham president.
Originally from Albany, Hunter is a senior economics major with a minor in business administration on the pre-law track. She’s also a student ambassador and works at the University Health Center. In addition, she’s completed internships with Senator Chuck Schumer’s New York office, the New York State Assembly, an immigration law firm, and the YWCA, where she worked on initiatives supporting women affected by domestic violence.
Hunter reports that she lost her mother unexpectedly during her sophomore year at Fordham. She expressed gratitude to Rachel Annunziato, Ph.D., Vice Dean for Undergraduate Education, Arts and Sciences, for her support and for helping Hunter “navigate the financial challenges that came with losing my mom and making it possible for me to continue my education at Fordham with a lighter burden on my family.”
Hunter said, “That support has meant more to me than I can really put into words, and receiving the McShane Scholarship is another opportunity that I am extremely grateful for.”
Upon graduation, Hunter plans to attend law school and pursue a career in law. “My experiences throughout college, both personally and professionally, have only strengthened that goal and my desire to use my education to advocate for others,” she said.
The FCAA Legacy Endowed Scholarship
Grace Marrin and Kayleigh Lutz are the latest recipients of the FCAA Legacy Endowed Scholarship, a needs-based program that was established in 1961.
Grace Marrin, FCRH ’26, majored in psychology and minored in Spanish. From Long Branch, New Jersey. Grace has not yet decided where her studies will take her, however she plans to attend graduate school, and is considering law school.
“Since I was old enough to remember, I have dreamt of attending Fordham University,” said Grace, who is a sixth-generation Fordham student. Grace is proud of the “chosen family” she has grown through her connections with professors, classmates, and friends at Fordham.
Of her decision to study psychology, Grace said, “I find it fascinating to study the brain and the numerous ways this knowledge can be applied and observed.”
Grace says that her decision to pursue a minor in Spanish was influenced by her first Spanish professor, Carolina Vittor Medina, who pushed her in ways that made her rise to the occasion.
On her scholarship, she said, “My dad passed away last year, which has made this past year especially difficult for my family and me. Because of that, I feel even more grateful for this scholarship during a time where so much has felt uncertain. This scholarship has provided not only financial relief but also a sense of steadiness that has helped me continue moving forward.”
Kayleigh Lutz, FCRH ’28, from Fairfield, CT, was influenced by her older sister, parents, grandparents and even a great-grandmother who all attended Fordham.
Kayleigh, from Fairfield, CT, majors in communication and culture, with a minor in film and television. Kayleigh has enjoyed learning about the ways the world is affected by digital technologies.
Kayleigh appreciates that although many of her classmates began as strangers, they become friends by the end of the semester, fostering a sense of community.
“At Fordham, I am getting a life-changing experience that I couldn’t get anywhere else. It allows me to immerse myself in the city, but also have a gated campus. I am also fortunate to get to Manhattan in 20 minutes by train, which I could not get anywhere else. Fordham empowers students to be their authentic selves while feeling supported in every circumstance.”
Of her scholarship, Kaleigh said, “It grants me the opportunity to follow in my grandparents’ and parents’ footsteps and attend the school they loved. It has made it possible for me to attend my dream college and pursue both a major and a minor in fields I am passionate about.”
FCAA Jim Dwyer Journalism Scholars Award 2026 Presented to Kailey Sigoda, FCRH ’27
Kailey Sigoda, Class of 2027, is the recipient of the FCAA’s Jim Dwyer Journalism Scholars Award, a $5,000 grant in support of her unpaid internship with L’Officiel USA, the American edition of the historic French fashion and lifestyle magazine.
Kailey is a Dean’s List journalism student with a minor in fashion studies who is also a Fordham cheerleader, a contributing writer for the Ram and culture editor of FLASH Magazine. She has already been an editorial intern at D Home and D Weddings in Dallas, near her hometown of McKinney, Texas.
According to Kailey, at her position at L’Officiel USA this summer, she will work on fashion editorial and write, do market research and editorial planning.
“I hope to pursue a career in magazines, with a specific passion for print journalism, something I believe still holds immense value in our community, no matter how digitally advanced we become,” said Kailey. “Together, journalism and fashion studies were and will always be my answer to the question ‘If you could do anything, what would it be?’”
Hometown Bronx Student our First Micro Grant Recipient
Plans to Use His Fordham Education to Give Back
This year, the FCAA began supporting Fordham College Rose Hill in a new way, by pledging $30,000 to the college’s Micro Grant Program. It is dedicated to providing students with emergency assistance allowing them to continue their studies despite a financial setback.
Examples include the need to replace a laptop, a shortfall in tuition, fees or housing costs, all in a small, but pressing, way.
Our first grantee is Oscar Sanchez Veliz, FCRH ‘26, who needed an emergency $5000 to complete his senior year.
Oscar is a standout political science major, with a minor in Spanish studies, who hails from the Arthur Avenue section of the Bronx
“The Micro Grant is more than just financial support. It is a gateway that makes my plans for the future possible,” said Oscar.
“Coming from an underserved community where dreams like mine often feel out of reach, this support goes a long way in keeping me on track for graduation while giving life to the goals I have set for myself. It reminds me that to give is not just to donate, but to give life to another dream. Down the line, I hope to carry this forward by helping another student who is walking the same path I am today.”
Oscar plans to attend law school and become an immigration lawyer dedicated to representing individuals in underrepresented communities.
He says his long term goal is to establish a nonprofit organization under 501(c)(3) status and develop programs that use sports empowerment as a tool for education, opportunity, and community building, giving back to the Bronx community that helped him.
In addition to his studies, Oscar is captain of Men’s Club Soccer and a member of Global Outreach Tijuana, and the Center for Community Engaged Learning through his work with local Congressman Ritchie Torres.our
Sapienta et Doctrina