ASAP Challenge Nears $5 Million Goal, Creating 200 Scholarships

By Linda Werman

Financial constraints should not prevent those desiring a transformative education from attending Wentworth. And thanks to Don Bracken and more than 78 individuals and corporate/industry partners, Wentworth is supporting more students than ever through the ASAP Challenge.

The Advancing Student Access and Potential Challenge launched in October 2019 at President Mark Thompson’s inaugural dinner, where Thompson shared his commitment to offering students requiring financial support the added help they need to attend Wentworth. He launched the ASAP Challenge, offering a dollar-for-dollar match from Wentworth’s endowment to scholarship gifts from alumni, friends and corporate/industry partners.

The goal was to raise $5 million, creating 100 scholarships in the process. At press time, Wentworth has raised $4.6 million. This support provides worthy students access to a Wentworth education and empowers them to focus on their academics without the added anxiety of how they will pay for their education.

“I am very grateful to be able to create a scholarship to help a student at Wentworth. My education was made possible by the financial assistance I received while attending Wentworth 40 years ago, which led me to a successful career. Providing this scholarship is a great way for me to give back and help give a student the opportunity to succeed at Wentworth and beyond.”
— Donald F. Bracken, Jr., PE, BSET ’84
President/Owner, Bracken Engineering, Inc.

These scholarships support students like Ryan, a Wentworth senior studying Mechanical Engineering who recently shared that he is “humbled that there are people willing to help me get my degree . . . I hope to be able to do the same thing someday.”

The Institute is grateful to Don Bracken and so many others for paying it forward, ensuring that Wentworth can continue to help students like Ryan realize their dreams.

If you are interested in learning more about how your support directly impacts the lives of our students, please reach out to Crate Herbert, vice president, Institutional Advancement & External Relations, at herbertc1@wit.edu or 617-989-5351.