Marywood University is the recent recipient of a 2021 Robert H. Spitz Foundation Grant. The $12,000 grant was awarded to the S.T.A.R.S. (Students Together Achieving Remarkable Success) program, an after-school mentoring program. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation has made a positive impact on Scranton’s Latinx population through its grant support of the University’s S.T.A.R.S. program.

Established in 2018, S.T.A.R.S. has provided weekly academic tutoring and mentoring to 20-25 middle and high school Latinx students. Marywood students serve as tutors and mentors to the youth. In addition to academic assistance, the students participate in career exploration activities and workshops related to secondary and post-secondary academic options. Monthly workshops, in English and Spanish, provide families with similar information about potential opportunities for their children.

Additionally, Marywood University academic departments host students on campus 4-5 times a year, providing information and experiential activities that are focused on various majors. This includes small-group and individual mentorship for students using a career and college readiness curriculum, as well as individual tutoring sessions via zoom or in-person with a Marywood student. Student and family workshops are also provided.

The Robert H. Spitz Foundations is a registered nonprofit organization that supports initiatives and programs serving the residents of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Robert H. Spitz was born in Scranton and was a 1955 graduate of Scranton Central High School and the University of Miami, Florida. Prior to retirement, Spitz had been employed by the U.S. Department of Labor and was also the owner of several local Arby’s restaurants. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation was established from his estate in 2015. To date, the Foundation has provided more than $3 million in funding to the community. The Scranton Area Community Foundation serves as the administrator of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation

For additional information about Marywood University’s S.T.A.R.S. program, please visit marywood.edu/stars/index.html, or call (570) 961-4559.

For additional information about The Robert H. Spitz Foundation, please visit https://safdn.org/1765/robert-h-spitz-foundation-announces-2019-grant-cycle/, or call (570) 347-6203.