FSPA Donates $100,000 for the Boys & Girls Club Pathway to a Bachelor's Degree Program

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have announced a $100,000 gift to Viterbo University for the Amie L. Mathy Center Boys & Girls Club Pathway to a Bachelor’s Degree program.

The Pathway to a Bachelor’s Degree program consists of three parts—Viterbo University scholarships, a college mentorship initiative to support the students and help them succeed, and two free Viterbo summer college preparatory courses for university credit. Viterbo offers three four-year, full-tuition scholarships as part of the program, one for the Boys & Girls Clubs Greater La Crosse Member of the Year and two for members of the Amie L. Mathy Center Boys & Girls Club located on the Viterbo campus. The FSPA gift will be used to support these scholarship funds.

“Our foundresses understood the power education has to change lives, and we continue to minister both inside and outside traditional classrooms,” said FSPA President Sr. Eileen McKenzie. “We’re also connected to this program as one of our partners in mission on staff, Danessa Brocks, was the 2020 recipient of a full-tuition scholarship at Viterbo University. We listened when Danessa accepted this honor and stated, ‘College was the last thing on my mind because I thought I could never accomplish it, but the staff at the club pushed me to see my value and abilities.’ The possibilities of this program are endless.”

All aspects of the Amie L. Mathy Center Boys & Girls Club Pathway to a Bachelor’s Degree program are designed to help make a college education possible for local club members, many of whom come from low-income, diverse, and single-parent households.

“We are incredibly grateful to the FSPA and to everyone who supports this important program,” said Jim Salmo, Viterbo University vice president of advancement. “We know it will make a tremendous difference in the lives of our local future leaders.”

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