“I’m a very different person from who I was five years ago—in a good way,” said Ginger McNeil DeMita. “My experiences at Buffalo State have helped my self-confidence.”

DeMita returned to college to earn a teaching degree after life dealt her a hand that forced her to turn everything upside down. Now a single mother of three children ages 12 to 17, she maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while working part-time jobs on campus to help make ends meet.

Thanks to the “Bridge the Gap” scholarship she received, she was able to purchase the supplies she needed to complete and present her class projects.

“I can do a better job by being able to buy the right supplies,” she said, “and that leads to better grades.”

The $500 award also reminded her that someone else believed in her ability to complete her elementary education degree, a path she chose because she loved volunteering in her children’s elementary classes. The award also helped her buy that most precious commodity, time.

“The scholarship meant I didn’t have to worry about working more hours,” she said, “and I could concentrate on my studies and my family.”

The scholarship helped her devote more time to studying. “My monthly income was fixed,” she said, “but our expenses—gas and school supplies and clothes—kept going up. This scholarship really made a difference for me and my kids.”

Bridge the Gap is a scholarship for students, usually juniors and seniors, who need financial help to complete their education.