Take 5

The Green Family

Joshua Green ’92 & David Green ’85 P’14
Family members who joined in creating the H. Kermit Green ’56 Family Scholarship Fund

Why is Lafayette so special to you and your family?

Our father, H. Kermit Green Jr. ’56 P’85’92 GP’14, attended Lafayette and left prior to completing his degree. He spent two years in the Army and, after his discharge, a member of the College’s administration encouraged him to return and complete his degree. He credited Lafayette with getting him on a path to success. He instilled in us his appreciation for and dedication to Lafayette and the Lafayette community. We grew up spending time on campus and attending alumni events. Attending Lafayette ourselves and sending David’s son, Zac ’14, to the College gave us both our own unique relationship with the College and a shared Lafayette experience with our father.

Why did you and your family create a scholarship?

The scholarship came about after a discussion with our father about leaving a legacy at Lafayette. During David’s last semester, money was a little short, and the College provided scholarship money to bridge the gap and get him through to graduation. That experience gave our entire family firsthand knowledge of how difficult it is for families to afford college, especially during later years when other financial aid options are more limited. The College came through for us. It was our father’s hope that we could pay that forward and create a scholarship that would help bridge the financial gap for Lafayette students during their junior and senior years.

What difference do you hope your scholarship will make for our students?

Lafayette has provided all of us with such incredible opportunities. No student should have to leave early because of financial limitations. The scholarship our family created is neither purely merit-based nor purely need-based. Our hope is that it will provide the resources to students who need a boost during their last two years and help them successfully complete their Lafayette experience.

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Leanna Deegan ’22

Recipient of the Leopard Champions Fund • Women’s Volleyball

What was your highest priority during your college search?

My highest priority was attending a school that challenged me academically, enabled me to pursue my passion for athletics, and helped position me for the future. That’s why I wanted to be at Lafayette.

How did the scholarship offer impact your decision to choose Lafayette?

The scholarship was a significant factor in my decision to attend Lafayette. It helped open a door for me.

How would you finish the following statement: “If it weren’t for my Lafayette scholarship …”

“… it would not have been possible for me to attend Lafayette, pursue my dreams, and meet and play with my new teammates, who have become some of my closest friends.”

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Liszeth Rodriguez-Meza ’21

Recipient of the Beane Scholarship and Professor Marcantonio Crespi Scholarship

What was your highest priority during your college search?

My family and I do not have the financial means to afford an education like the one found at Lafayette. Financial aid quickly became my highest priority. Without the help of financial aid, I felt that the possibility of attending college seemed difficult if not nearly impossible.

How did the scholarship offer impact your decision to choose Lafayette?

Lafayette was my dream school, and knowing that I would receive a scholarship made my decision easier. Lafayette was the only school that showed a genuine interest in helping me and my family. Lafayette’s acceptance of me was not only an invitation to study at the College, it also was an offer to join an inclusive and welcoming community.

How would you finish the following statement: “If it weren’t for my Lafayette scholarship …”

“… I would not have found my second home. During my first two years at Lafayette, I have been exposed to a diversity of mindsets, been academically challenged, and learned more about myself and my potential. There is absolutely no other school more perfect for me than Lafayette.”

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Calvin Wright ’20

Recipient of the Professor Marcantonio Crespi Scholarship and Lafayette-Jamaica Scholarship

What was your highest priority during your college search?

Affordability was certainly the most important consideration for me. Even though I was very interested in a top liberal arts college with strong programs in economics and French, I knew that the quality of the institution would not matter if my family and I couldn’t afford it.

How did the scholarship offer impact your decision to choose Lafayette?

Also being named the Lafayette-Jamaica Scholar and benefiting from the scholarships I have received certainly confirmed
my decision to come to Lafayette. Not only was I able to meet the then-prime minister of my country, I also felt from the beginning that Lafayette cared in a way that other schools did not.

How would you finish the following statement: “If it weren’t for my Lafayette scholarship …

“… I would not have studied abroad in Madagascar and Paris or conducted research as a Gladstone T. Whitman ’49  Summer Fellow with a professor of economics in Whitesburg, Kentucky.”