Gifts in Action: A Donor Newsletter - July 2022

Marcus Parker BS ’98, MS ’02 has devoted the last nine years to inspiring others and helping to build a culture of philanthropy at RIT. As the primary fundraiser to launch the Alpha Phi Alpha Mu Sigma chapter endowed scholarship, Marcus’s hope is to change the narrative—educate others and transform preconceived notions regarding beneficence—and help empower the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. as leaders on RIT’s campus.

Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. exists to develop leaders and promote brotherhood and academic excellence while providing service and advocacy for their respective communities. In 2013, Marcus and his wife, Meta, created the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Sigma Endowed Scholarship to provide support for RIT students—without restriction—who demonstrate the aims of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Marcus has enabled the fraternity to act in a leadership capacity; the members are responsible for helping other students across campus and overseeing the disbursement of funds to any student. To date, five recipients have been named.

Marcus and Meta have hosted several networking events in their Severn, M.D. home to further the engagement of alumni in his region. Most recently the Parkers hosted “Building Your Legacy,” an intimate gathering where Marcus shared his heartening story of building the endowed scholarship from the ground up. Marcus exemplifies the passion for helping RIT students harness their full potential, which he hopes to ignite in others by encouraging either their involvement with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Mu Sigma, or the creation of new scholarship programs.

The service-based fraternity of Alpha Phi Alpha, whose motto is “First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All,” was founded in 1906 and was the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American Men. The Mu Sigma chapter was charted in 1977 and encompasses the campuses of RIT, University of Rochester, St. John Fisher University, and the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Music, theater, and dance are on the rise at RIT as the university is quickly developing its performing arts program. Jaeden Guarrasi BS ’23 finds himself immersed in the many opportunities he has between his coursework for the School for Individualized Study (SOIS) and his fervor for music. He credits generous scholarship donors as the reason his dream to craft his personalized degree at RIT became a reality.

“Let’s face it, a lot of people would rather just not attend college than worry about the debt,” commented Jaeden. “Without the flexibility of SOIS to pick what courses I wanted to take and the opportunity to be involved in music, I wouldn’t be at RIT; and without scholarship support, I wouldn’t be earning my degree—period!” 

For Jaeden, his understanding of donor support goes beyond a basic appreciation for gifted tuition dollars. With the drive to lead many humanitarian initiatives through his church and establish a community garden in his hometown, Jaeden is aware of the bigger picture that scholarship gifts instill. “Generosity breeds generosity. I look up to the donors for what they do for students like me. Scholarships are both an incentive and a reward for good work and enable students to pursue dreams that can only be fulfilled by an institution with as many resources as RIT. It's the spirit of philanthropy that helps the world move in a positive direction.”

Jaeden has been at the forefront of scholarship programming for several years. While obtaining his associate’s degree at Northampton Community College prior to coming to RIT, he served on a committee to review scholarship application profiles and help select awardees. He met with donors to talk about his own aspirations, and at RIT, has received several scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year. 

The plan for Jaeden’s final semesters at RIT is to showcase a long-awaited and groundbreaking project in which he will assemble a small group of performers and compose music for their recital. Upon graduation, he plans to work at—and eventually manage—his grandfather’s company, Technical Components, at which he has already been busy learning the business since he was very young.

Alli Miller BS ’25, like many current students, was challenged with starting her undergraduate degree during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the difficulties an unconventional freshman year presented, the industrial engineering student has made Dean’s List every semester, participates in the Society of Women Engineers, plays in RIT’s Pep Band, works as a lifeguard on campus, and is currently working on co-op at Collins Aerospace. 

Early on, Alli knew she wanted to come to RIT; her older sister who studied biomedical engineering at RIT helped spark her interest. “I had a lot of exposure to the campus. My sister ran an open house at the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, and I was fascinated. I like to be efficient, so industrial engineering felt like a part of me right from the start. I also loved that co-ops are built into the programs here, which is unique from many other colleges. I can focus on getting experience in the workplace before graduation.” 

Alli credits her achievements to the compassion of donors who made her attendance at RIT possible. “I am extremely grateful for all the opportunities I have and know they would not have been possible without donor scholarship support,” she commented. “I wouldn’t have been able to come to RIT, and the support I’ve received hasn’t been taken for granted. Thank you!”

“I never knew the cost of a college education until I was faced with it.” Jada Jennings BS ’24 perfectly summed up the sentiment that so many college students experience. Jada, a business management information systems major, expressed that she wouldn’t be able to afford her education if it wasn’t for the scholarship she received.

The decision to attend RIT had been easy. Jada had met a recruiter at a job fair while she was in high school who emphasized that the university had a large focus on hands-on learning through co-ops and internships. She was also drawn to RIT’s diverse student body, the robotics and computer systems coursework, and the robust financial aid offerings. Having worked hard throughout high school and earning excellent grades, Jada recalls that her parents were very proud of her and wanted her to pursue her degree at RIT—although affording it would be a challenge.

Jada’s scholarship award came at a crucial time; she found out about the scholarship just as there had been a death in the family, which suddenly caused financial hardship for her parents. The extra funding was enough to float college costs and provide a credit that Jada used toward textbooks, transportation, and housing. 

“Many of my peers have to work multiple jobs just to keep up with costs,” says Jada. “I’m lucky to have received help with funding for my education so that I can stay focused on my studies and the programs that are important to me.”

Jada works at the Campus Welcome Center, is secretary of RIT’s Black Awareness Coordinating Committee, and also enjoys photography. After she graduates, she plans to work for a company in which she can help to develop better system operations. Jada expressed wanting to someday be in the position to pay forward the generosity she received through student scholarship funds, as well as have the opportunity to meet the people who have helped her.

“I’m very grateful, and someday I want to be able to help fund students’ education. I would also love to meet the donors who made a difference in my life and hear their stories."

Lia Grammer BS ’25 is excited about all the unique opportunities that packaging science, her field of study, provides for college graduates. Even during her freshman year at RIT, she was a part of an invitation-only packaging competition, worked as a teaching assistant, served as an e-board member and social media coordinator for the student chapter of the Institute of Packaging Professionals, and was a member of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. None of this would have been possible without the scholarship funding she received.

“Originally, I wouldn’t have been able to come to RIT,” recalls Lia. “My family and I couldn’t afford it.” This realization was difficult, as Lia knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue STEM-based (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) higher education, predominantly something with design. While in high school, her uncle introduced her to RIT’s course offerings and connected her with RIT alumni to discuss career paths. Lia knew she had to make her dream of attending RIT a reality. With hard work and determination, she was able to receive several merit-based scholarship awards to help fund her education. 

“I am extremely honored to be chosen as the recipient of these scholarships,” says Lia.  “I am so grateful for the donors and the committees that continue to make RIT scholarships possible for students in need every year. Thank you for recognizing me and my hard work. This has made a big impact on my dreams.”

Lia is eager to pursue a co-op and continue working as a teaching assistant as she enters her second year at RIT.