DeSales University announces scholarship program for downtown Allentown residents

DeSales University of Center Valley seeks to help prospective nontraditional adult college students who live in Allentown's Neighborhood Improvement Zone.

To help residents obtain a college education, DeSales created the Center City Allentown Revitalization Scholarship program – offered to NIZ residents – to attend the school's part-time adult evening All College Continuing Education and Summer Sessions program.

Created by state law in 2009, the NIZ is a special taxing district that encourages development and revitalization in downtown Allentown, consisting of about 128 acres. Taxes generated in the NIZ, with the exception of school district and city taxes, can be used to pay debt service on any financed improvements within the NIZ.

The Center City Allentown Revitalization Scholarship is funded by a grant from the Harry C. Trexler Trust, with a partial match from City Center Investment Corp. of Allentown, the primary developer of the downtown Allentown revitalization effort.

The program is eight weeks, with multiple start dates and online courses that complement the schedules of part-time adult students. Students might only need to go to campus one night a week.

"Becoming more engaged with online learning increases technological ability to work in a global environment," said Deborah Booros, dean of lifelong learning at DeSales. "The classroom/online combination helps to make the most of a student's time."

The goals of the program are to increase the number of students who live in the NIZ and their graduation rate, according to the university.

To apply for the Center City Allentown Revitalization Scholarship, students must complete an application as well as write an essay outlining their educational goals. In the application they must address a question about the downtown Allentown revitalization and how their participation in this program would help them affect change for Allentown.

DeSales University is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal arts university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.

Harry C. Trexler was an entrepreneur, agriculturalist and philanthropist whose philanthropy continues through the private foundation established with the estates of Harry and Mary Trexler.

Source: DeSales University announces scholarship program for downtown Allentown residents