Stein Family Scholarship

Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York offers a number of scholarships for college and graduate school students based on merit and/or financial need.

About the Stein Family Scholarship

Arlene Shea Stein lived her life for everyone else. She represented the true meaning of altruism, possessed unconditional love and had the fortitude to show forgiveness. Next to her children and grandchildren, Arlene's compassion and deep sense of Tikkum Olam are her greatest legacy. Her children Steven, Lisa, Craig and Debbie and grandchildren Melanie, Ariel, Samantha, Lauren, Matthew, Madison, Seth, and Shea, had a special relationship and personal bond with their mother and grandmother. Arlene was their mentor, their friend and passed along her passion for making the world a better place.

Every one of Arlene's children and grandchildren live each day honoring her memory of good deeds and a giant heart. In that spirit, the children and grandchildren of Arlene Shea Stein have set up a special fund in her honor. Never completing college because of financial hardship always tugged at Arlene. She possessed a deep love for learning. The Arlene Shea Stein College Scholarship Fund has been set up to express Arlene's belief that higher education should be accessible to all.

Eligibility

Scholarship Applications are Accepted December 1 until the March due date. 

This is a need-based scholarship. Starting in 2025, the maximum award amount is $15,000 per year for the award winner, renewable up to four (4) years, for a maximum award of $60,000. Award checks are paid directly to the educational institution each semester. Recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA and be in good standing with their university, with no disciplinary actions pending. A renewal application and transcripts are required each subsequent year.

Scholarship Requirements

To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be Jewish and current residents of Hampton Roads (Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Isle of Wight County, Hampton, Newport News, and the Peninsula).
• Be high school graduates entering a degree-granting institution within the United States for the first time as a full-time, degree-seeking student. The institution must participate in the Federal Student Aid Program (Title IV).
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Demonstrate academic ability, concern for school, the Jewish community, and general communities through extracurricular activities and volunteer service. Applicants are encouraged to note any unusual circumstances that would make the candidate more worthy of consideration.
• Demonstrate substantiated financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• FAFSA Requirement: To determine need, all students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov so that the Student Aid Index (SAI) may be determined. When applying for this scholarship, applicants must provide a full copy of their FAFSA Submission Summary, which should include the SAI. The SAI replaces the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) beginning with the 2024–2025 school year. Students are encouraged to complete the application as soon as possible; federal funds are limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.