The Post

Emily Mager grew up in a small town in the southern tier. When she was about 12 years old, her parents separated. One of them recently lost their full-time job, making the burden of putting Mager and her brother, Kyle, through college more difficult.

So when Mager told her dad that Niagara University, which had the highest listed tuition price among the three she was considering, was her top choice, he was understandably hesitant. To hear Mager tell the story – as about 90 did during Sunday’s annual Scholarship Mass and Luncheon – divine intervention helped make her dream of attending NU a reality.

“The good Lord blessed me, as He often does and, lo and behold, when we received my financial aid package from Niagara University, the long list of scholarships covered most of my expenses,” an emotional Mager told an assemblage in the Russell J. Salvatore Dining Commons.

Truth be told, 99 percent of incoming NU students receive some form of financial aid, thanks largely to the support of private donors. Niagara distributed more than $45 million in scholarships and aid during the 2017-2018 academic year to students like Mager. Sunday’s event recognized those donors and families whose contributions named both current-use and endowed scholarship funds at NU.

Read more about yesterday’s event.