A lifelong resident of Livingston County, NY, Mr. Saunders is a tireless promoter of the Upstate NY economy and believes strongly that an educated workforce is the key to economic growth in the region. As part of his commitment to RIT and to the naming of its College of Business, in July 2006, Mr. Saunders established the E. Philip Saunders Endowed Business Scholarship, providing two four-year academic scholarships annually, one each to a graduate of Dansville (NY) High School and of Livonia (NY) High School, who have been accepted to Saunders College of Business at RIT.

Eligibility for this scholarship will be based on the recipients’ graduation from Dansville High School or Livonia High School and their acceptance into Saunders College of Business at RIT. Candidates must demonstrate a record of academic achievement that indicates a strong potential for success in a selective educational environment. They should be well-rounded students involved in extracurricular and/or work-related activities while in high school. Also, they should demonstrate strong leadership potential or business skills and aspire to become business leaders.

Candidates will be asked to authorize the release of the application and ongoing performance information to the scholarship selection committee. That committee will consist of at least one representative from the RIT Enrollment Management and Career Services Division and one representative from the Saunders Foundation. Financial need may be a factor in consideration but is not a requirement. All qualified candidates will be encouraged to apply. The scholarship is renewable annually for up to four years, provided the recipients enroll full-time, maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5, and remain enrolled in the RIT Saunders College of Business. In the event that circumstances arise forcing a student to enroll for an additional term to meet academic requirements, the administrators of the fund may be able to support those additional needs.