Cedar Crest College President Elizabeth Meade surprised Lehigh Career & Technical Institute student Amaiya Kavachery on April 9 with a full-tuition scholarship. Amaiya is a Parkland High School student in LCTI’s Future Educators program.

SCHNECKSVILLE, Pa. — At first, when a costumed character led a group of people into her Academic Center classroom, Amaiya Kavachery thought Lehigh Career & Technical Institute was celebrating another themed spirit day.

Then she recognized two women in the character’s entourage: Hannah Rothenhausler, an admissions counselor at Cedar Crest College, and Stephanie Walker, the school’s vice president of enrollment management. 

That’s when Amaiya realized the character, Cedar Crest mascot Franki the Falcon, and everyone else in the group was there for her.

College President Elizabeth Meade surprised Amaiya on Tuesday morning (April 9, 2024) with news that she’d won the grand prize in Cedar Crest’s annual scholarship contest: full tuition for all four years of undergraduate study. It’s a big chunk of change; Cedar Crest tuition for 2024-2025 is $45,664. 

As LCTI staff members, students and the Cedar Crest crew looked on, Meade presented Amaiya with a certificate, flowers and balloons, drawing cheers or applause from all assembled.

It was an emotional moment for Amaiya, a Parkland High School student in the Future Educators program at LCTI. “I’m ecstatic,” the 18-year-old said of winning a Cedar Crest scholarship. “It feels like a tremendous reward.”

Congratulations, Amaiya! There’s opportunity ahead!

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