On Monday, September 23, Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) and Saratoga Casino and Raceway officials announced the ‘Saratoga Casino Award for Excellence,’ a scholarship designated for second-year students in SCCC’s new Casino Gaming Management program. The two-year Associate’s Degree program kicked off this fall at SCCC. Saratoga Casino and Raceway will award $10,000 per year to fund the scholarship.
"This is an important partnership as the casino gaming industry is scheduled for growth in New York State and we believe that this program will provide real opportunities for future employment," said Denise Murphy McGraw, chairwoman of the SCCC Board of Trustees. "Students will walk away prepared to perform all aspects of casino operations."
The scholarship will award $2,500 per-year to four full-time returning matriculated students, entering their second year of study in the Casino Gaming Management Program. To qualify, each applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0, with a minimum of 30 credits earned by the end of the previous spring semester. Recipients will be provided $1,250 per semester, qualifying for another $1,250 the second semester upon maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.0, and having earned a minimum of 15 credits in the first semester in which they receive the scholarship. Scholarship dollars may be used to support tuition, fees, and all other educational expenses.
"The best way to ensure our success is to make sure we are actively participating in the education of our future employees and leaders," said Rita Cox, Saratoga Casino and Raceway’s senior vice president of Marketing. "Working with Schenectady County Community College’s Casino Gaming Management program is the best way to do that."
In March, the State University of New York (SUNY) and New York State Education Department (NYSED) approved SCCC’s Casino Gaming Management program. College officials met with the New York Gaming Association as well as Saratoga Casino and Raceway officials for input on the program’s development. Students enrolled in the program will study the logistics of running a gaming floor, the laws that govern gambling operations and will participate in industry specific internships.
"The scholarship provides an excellent opportunity for our students entering into this growing industry," said SCCC President Dr. Quintin Bullock. "Anticipating the needs of the workforce, SCCC is always adapting with new programs. The Casino Gaming and Management program is a positive addition to our department of Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism."
Saratoga Casino and Raceway established this scholarship to coincide with the inaugural class of students in SCCC’s Casino and Gaming Management program. Awards will be given for the first time at the May 22, 2014, Honors Convocation. This scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis.
(Saratoga)