The scholarship establishes a $500 award annually to a RCGC first-year or second-year student
A charitable man with an affinity for those who serve as first responders, Eric Sklar continues to support volunteer fire and emergency medical services personnel through a scholarship donated in his memory.
The Rowan College at Gloucester County Eric Sklar Memorial Scholarship, an endowment that provides perpetual scholarships to ambulance squad, rescue crew and fire department volunteers, honors the fun-loving musician and Washington Township native. Sklar, a heavy-machine operator with a special liking for fire apparatus, died unexpectantly last February. In his will, he listed the college foundation as a beneficiary.
Sklar’s gift to the college is a fitting legacy for the man who believed in the importance of helping others.
“Be yourself, be true to yourself, be generous and take care of each other — that was the way Eric lived his life,” said his brother Gary Sklar, a Washington Township firefighter.
The Eric Sklar Memorial Scholarship establishes a $500 award annually to a RCGC first-year or second-year student attending college full or part time (minimum of six credit hours a semester), who is a first responder volunteer for either EMS or the fire service. While the scholarship is available to all majors, preference is given to students pursuing a career in emergency response services and is need based. Recipients must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA and submit a 250-word essay that includes their career objectives. The scholarship may be applied to tuition, books or fees.
“This endowment is an excellent way to acknowledge Mr. Sklar’s admiration for first responders and support the important contributions these volunteers provide to their community,” RCGC President Frederick Keating said. “His generous gift is evidence of a true commitment to assist students answering the call to help others, even at the risk of putting their own lives in jeopardy.”
“Volunteers in emergency services are always willing to go above and beyond to serve their communities. What better way to say thank you to volunteer firefighters and EMTs than by providing this scholarship in return, and honoring Eric’s memory and appreciation of them,” RCGC Foundation and Alumni Relations Director Cody Miller said.
The Rowan College Foundation at Gloucester County strives to support deserving students in their quest for higher education. A non-profit and independent public charity, the Foundation provides scholarships for RCGC students through the generosity of individuals, organizations and companies in the area, offering numerous academic and program scholarships annually to qualified students enrolled on a full- or part-time basis.
For more information on how to become a scholarship donor, visit RCGC.edu/Foundation.
