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“The scholarship has enabled me to not have to work and worry about how I am going to pay for school. Receiving it has made me feel more confident and sure of myself. It has made me realize that someone thinks that I have potential.”

University at Buffalo freshman Raymond Matuszak is proud to wear his high school class ring. “I think most people wear their class rings in high school and retire them once they get to college, but I’m still wearing mine,” he says. “It’s like a part of me now.” His garnet and white gold class ring is engraved with the name of his alma mater, Hutchinson Central Technical High School in Buffalo, commonly known as Hutch-Tech.

In high school Raymond was a top student, enrolled in several Advanced Placement classes and heavily involved in the school’s student council. After considering a number of colleges in the area, Raymond chose UB for several reasons: the strength of the academic programs and the scholarships he received.

Raymond is the proud recipient of the Hutchinson Central Technical High School Access Scholarship, established by UB and Hutch-Tech alumnus Ed Kikta BA ’70 & PhD. ’78 (Chemistry), a member of the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council. The scholarship is awarded to exceptional incoming students from Hutch-Tech to pay for tuition, buy books and supplies, and fund research for up to five years of undergraduate study.
A nursing major, Raymond is excited about his challenging schedule of classes which include anatomy, physiology and human growth and development courses, along with general education requirements like English. “I’ve really found my passion,” he says. His scholarship enables him to focus on rigorous academic subjects and be able to do volunteer work relating to his field. During summer break, Raymond volunteers at Buffalo’s Women and Children’s Hospital learning the ropes of administrative work in a hospital environment.

One of ten children, Raymond is deeply grateful for the scholarship and the boost to his confidence that it has given him. “The scholarship has enabled me to not have to work and worry about how I am going to pay for school. Receiving it has made me feel more confident and sure of myself. It has made me realize that someone thinks that I have potential.”

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