Karen Schuhle-Williams Exemplary Adult Student Scholarship

During the 18 years that Dr. Karen Schuhle-Williams served as executive director, Special Sessions and Programs, at The College at Brockport, she constantly advocated for older or non-traditional students. These students were working full-time, managing a family, or both while completing a degree or earning a new one. Inspired by their determination, she established the Karen Schuhle-Williams Exemplary Adult Scholarship to recognize an outstanding adult student at the College.

Dr. Schuhle-Williams first joined Brockport in 1982 as a graduate assistant in intramurals, and in 1984 she served as operations manager and NCAA eligibility coordinator in Intercollegiate Athletics while completing her master’s degree in education, which she received in December 1984. Her undergraduate degree is in physical education from SUNY Cortland.

While studying for her doctoral degree in higher education from Syracuse University, which she received in 1998, she held professional positions with Finger Lakes Community College and the University of Rochester. Dr. Schuhle-Williams returned to Brockport in 1996 in a dual role as assistant director, academic outreach and access, and executive director of the Brockport MetroCenter. In 2000, she was promoted to the Special Sessions and Programs position, which she held until the end of 2018, while she continued to manage the MetroCenter until 2014.

Beginning in January 2019, Dr. Schuhle-Williams has served as the program coordinator and instructor in the higher education administration MSEd program offered through the Department of Educational Administration.

Qualified applicants for the Karen Schuhle-Williams Exemplary Adult Student Scholarship must be a full- or part-time matriculated undergraduate or graduate students at the College, who has completed at least two semesters at the College with a minimum cumulative Brockport GPA of 3.25. They must be a working, either full- or part-time, adult student, who is over 25 years of age. They should submit a 300- to 500-word essay describing why they are an exemplary adult student and how they balance academics, their professional work with family responsibilities and giving back to the community through volunteering or service.