Starting in spring 2020 more scholarships will be made available at D'Youville through the Say Yes to Education Program. 

The scholarship targets economically disadvantaged and first generation students. 

"There's been more students that applied to D'Youville than we have been able to admit under the scholarship program," said President Lorrie Clemo.

Clemo agreed to remove D'Youville's cap on Say Yes scholarships, offering  an unlimited number of scholarships to students graduating from eligible schools in Buffalo, Syracuse, and Cleveland, Ohio.

"Say Yes was meant to provide access to every student in the public and charter schools in the city, to earn a two-year degree or four-year degree, and choice to as many institutions as possible," said Executive Director David Rust.

Rust says the scholarships will go a long way at the nationally ranked college with programs that closely align with the needs of Western New York's workforce.

"We know the students coming here will graduate and they’re gonna have a good chance to earn a job upon completion of their higher-ed experience," added Rust.

Rachel Rainey is a Say Yes scholar and junior nursing student at D'Youville who is well on her way to achieving that.

"This scholarship to my career was everything," said Rainey. "I cried when I read that I got into the program."

Since 2013, D'Youville previously offered 10 Say Yes scholarships to applicants but the president of the college says it did not meet the high demand for educational assistance.

Now, the unlimited amount of scholarships will give more students access to higher education.

"Being a first-generation student, I didn't know anything about college," said Rainey. "So, coming to D'Youville made it very smooth and the Say Yes education scholarship made it even better."

President Clemo says the expansion of the scholarship will not only allow D'Youville to accept more students, but afford the institution the opportunity to educate and retain future leaders of Western New York.