One of the biggest factors that pulled Larisa Pechenyy and her family from Ukraine to the United States was educational opportunity.

By the time Pechenyy and her two brothers entered Corcoran High School, the family’s college dreams were set on Onondaga Community College — a “big deal,” since Pechenyy’s parents hadn’t had higher education opportunities in the Soviet Union.

“OCC was the biggest dream we had in front of us,” Pechenyy said.

But when graduation rolled around, a relatively new Say Yes to Education program in the Syracuse City School District changed Pechenyy’s higher education plans.

“I would have never thought that being a civil engineer was possible for me, but at this point the sky is the limit,” said Pechenyy, now a senior at Syracuse University’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science.

In continuing support of the Say Yes scholarships that allow graduates of Syracuse high schools to attend SU or New York’s public colleges on full tuition scholarships, the Central New York Community Foundation has renewed a $1 million commitment to the Syracuse Chapter of Say Yes to Education. To be paid in $200,000 increments in five years, the donation will follow an identical $1 million commitment made between the foundation and Say Yes in 2009. This initial commitment will conclude in 2014.

The donation marks the largest single grant the foundation has made in its 85-year history, said Peter Dunn, president and CEO of the foundation. Say Yes stands out for its holistic approach to promoting education and making college attainable in a high-poverty urban district, he said.

“With the promise of a full tuition scholarship,” he said, “that takes away one barrier for kids going to college.”

In September, Say Yes added 11 colleges to its network of schools that offer Say Yes scholarships, said Pat Driscoll, director of operations at Say Yes in Syracuse. These include prominent schools such as Cornell University, Dartmouth College and Princeton University. The renewal of the Community Foundation’s commitment and the university expansion collectively mark a significant step for the Syracuse chapter of Say Yes, he said.

“Being able to have additional schools and dollars really gives our students an opportunity to pursue schools that may be in a different geographic location,” he said.

The $1 million commitment will specifically benefit Say Yes scholarships, Driscoll said, and contribute to the organization’s endowment. The Community Foundation manages Say Yes’ endowment, and Dunn said it has reached nearly $8 million of the $20 million goal.

Jameel Shareef, a Say Yes scholar from Henninger High School, said the program continues to positively affect him even in his senior year as a communication and rhetorical studies major at SU.

He said he has benefited from networking events and resume-building workshops since he started college. He credits his summer internships to the Say Yes events geared toward collegiate Say Yes scholars.

With $1 million headed toward the program in the next five years from the Community Foundation, he said he expects more students will have similar opportunities to succeed.

Said Shareef: “The extra million will help a lot of students.”

Published on October 16, 2013 at 12:08 am