Berkshire Bank, with financial centers in New England and New York, is now accepting applications for its foundation’s NeXt Gen Scholarship Awards Program. High school seniors, college students and adults are eligible to apply if they live in or attend a school in 30 counties served by Berkshire Bank, including Herkimer, Madison and Oneida counties locally, and are pursuing an undergraduate degree from an accredited non-profit college or technical school in the fall of 2023.

Berkshire will award $2,500 scholarships, 20 in all, to the best and brightest students to help with tuition. To apply, applicants should visit berkshirebank.com/scholarships. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Late applications will not be accepted. 

Applications will be evaluated based on the individual’s record of volunteer service, academic success and financial need. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a gross household income of $100,000 or less, or gross individual income of $50,000 or less, to be eligible to apply.

Recipients will embody academic excellence, share in Berkshire’s Be FIRST values of Belonging, Focusing, Inclusion, Respect, Service and Teamwork, and at their core possess an unsurpassed passion to improve the lives of those around them through volunteerism.  

“We are so pleased to continue offering these scholarships to help make the dream of higher education a reality for students in the communities we serve,” Lori Gazzillo Kiely, director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation, said. “Education is important to economic prosperity and it should be available and accessible to all.” 

A team of Berkshire Bank employee volunteers will review the applications and select this year’s recipients. To learn more about the program or apply online, please visit www.berkshirebank.com/scholarships.