ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE AND AUSTIN WILLIAMS PARTNER ON NEW SCHOLARSHIP INITIATIVE

December 08, 2020

BROOKLYN and PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – December 8, 2020 – St. Joseph’s College (SJC) is pleased to announce that Austin Williams, the College’s marketing partner and brand agency of record, has established a new scholarship program to help SJC students of color pursue careers in the fields of marketing and advertising.

Austin Williams created the program in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, which identified educational and employment inequities throughout the U.S. economy. The $50,000 Austin Williams Opportunity Scholarship in Marketing/Communications at St. Joseph’s College will provide four full-time students at SJC with a $2,500 tuition scholarship for four years. Along with financial support, the program will offer recipients paid internships at Austin Williams to gain valuable professional experience during their junior and senior years. In addition, Austin Williams’ team members will serve as mentors to the students, assessing their course work and offering guidance as they work toward their careers.

“Now more than ever, it is time to live out our mission and ensure that we are providing all of our students with the opportunities they need to succeed,” said SJC President Dr. Donald R. Boomgaarden. “We are grateful to Austin Williams for this scholarship program. Through their generosity, future SJC students will receive invaluable mentorship in their studies, career preparation and a hands-on experience that will point them in the direction of their future.”

The themes of diversity and inclusion have been an integral part of the College’s mission since its founding in 1916. Guided by the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph, the concepts of inclusive love and welcoming the dear neighbor inspire the College’s commitment to creating new opportunities for the nearly 5,000 students it serves. Established more than 20 years ago, SJC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee provides a forum for faculty, staff and students to come together to create and foster a welcoming and inviting environment for students, faculty and staff of all races and identities.

“Our longstanding partnership with St. Joseph’s College is one that we are so proud of,” said Eva LaMere, president of Austin Williams. “With the need for diversity in the marketing and advertising industry, this scholarship program seemed like a natural next step in working toward a solution. SJC students of color who will benefit from this opportunity will be welcomed as interns at our agency and mentored by professionals as they work toward their career goals.”

In 2016, the College retained the services of Austin Williams as its marketing partner and agency of record. Their collaborations include the award-winning “Ready. Set. Joe’s” campaign, which was launched in fall 2017 with a print, out-of-home, digital and radio campaign. A corresponding TV campaign launched in early 2018 in local markets on Long Island and in Brooklyn and Queens.

For more information, visit sjcny.edu.

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through SJC Brooklyn, SJC Long Island and SJC Online, the College offers degrees in 50 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.