Board of Regents Recognizes Outstanding Student Scholarship Awardees

The Board of Regents recognized outstanding New York State students today, announcing Vice Chancellor Emerita Adelaide L. Sanford, Chancellor Joseph McGovern, and Regent Margaret Snow Vander Veer Scholarship winners at the Board’s May meeting, Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced. VC Emerita Adelaide L. Sanford scholarships are awarded annually to exceptional My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Fellows and graduating high school seniors from NYSED-recognized MBK communities. Chancellor McGovern Scholarships are awarded annually to children of current New York State Education Department employees. The Margaret Snow Vander Veer Trust Fund, with additional support from former Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, provides scholarships to high school graduates who are the child or dependent of an employee of the State Education Department or the Board of Regents. 

This year’s Sanford scholarship winners are Sethe Newman of Ossining UFSD and Gabrielle Cayo of NYC DOE, the McGovern winner is Bridget McLoughlin of North Colonie CSD, and the Vander Veer scholarship winner is Brianna Langenbach of the East Greenbush CSD. 

Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said, “It is an honor to recognize the recipients of these distinguished scholarships. Their commitment to excellence will position all four students for success in their academic careers and beyond. The Board and I congratulate them on their impressive accomplishments and look forward to the big things to come from them in the future.” 

Commissioner Rosa said, “If education is the key to new worlds, the young people we celebrate today have open doors in front of them and a galaxy of experiences awaiting them. I am confident that each of them will go on to make remarkable contributions in their postsecondary studies and to their communities.” 

Vice Chancellor Emerita Adelaide L. Sanford Scholarship

Dr. Adelaide L. Sanford is the first African American and the first woman to serve as Vice Chancellor of the Board of Regents and remains a tireless fighter for the underserved and underrepresented. She is an Honorary Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workgroup, recognizing her unwavering leadership and ongoing meaningful contributions to this effort. 

Vice Chancellor Emerita Sanford said, “Sethe and Gabrielle have worked hard to succeed and are passing on their knowledge by serving as mentors—truly the backbone of the My Brother’s Keeper initiative. They have proven to be community oriented and academically, culturally, and spiritually connected. These students have discovered the power of committing to strengthening themselves, their communities and our society.” 

This year’s recipients are Sethe Newman from the Ossining Union Free School District (UFSD) and Gabrielle Cayo from the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) District 13 (Brooklyn). Through Dr. Sanford’s generosity, they will each receive funds that can assist with tuition, fees, and books, which will be awarded annually over four years while they are enrolled in college. 

Sethe Newman is a graduating senior at Ossining High School and a member of the 2022 class of MBK Fellows. Fellows have been identified as leaders in their MBK Communities. He is a member of the National Honor Society, his school’s robotics club, Black Culture Club, and plays for the OHS varsity baseball team. Sethe is a pilot in training and plans to major in Aviation at the Florida Institute of Technology. 

Gabrielle Cayo is a senior at Brooklyn Technical School and a My Sister’s Keeper (MSK) school chapter fellow. She has served as the Black Student Union President, Junior Class President, Student Advisor for the NYC Chancellor’s Office, and student panel member of the Panel for Education Policy. Gabrielle will attend the University of Pennsylvania, where she plans to study political science and history and go on to law school.  

Chancellor Joseph McGovern Scholarship 

The Chancellor McGovern Scholarship is awarded annually thanks to an endowed contribution from former Board of Regents Chancellor Joseph McGovern. It is awarded to a graduating senior who is the child of a current New York State Education Department employee to assist with postsecondary education. The McGovern Scholarship emphasizes substantial academic achievement, involvement in extracurricular activities, and a candidate’s background and long-range goals. 

Bridget McLoughlin is a graduating senior at Shaker High School in the North Colonie Central School District. Her mother, Julie, is an Assistant in Professional Education within the Office of Professions and has been with the Department since 2017. 

Bridget excelled in honors and Advanced Placement courses with a 4.0 GPA. She served as Student Council President and Vice President of the Environmental Club. She has been a member of the Varsity soccer team and team captain for three years, leading them to Sectional and Regional titles. 

Bridget will attend St. Michael’s College this fall, where she will study Environmental Science and Political Science, after which she plans to attend law school and pursue a career as an environmental attorney. 

Regent Margaret Snow Vander Veer Scholarship with support from former Commissioner MaryEllen Elia 

The Margaret Snow Vander Veer Trust Fund, with additional support from former Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, provides a scholarship to high school graduates who are the child or dependent of an employee of the State Education Department or the Board of Regents. It emphasizes hard work in and out of the classroom, the candidate’s background, long-range goals, and financial need. 

This year’s recipient, Brianna Langenbach, is graduating from Columbia High School. Through participation in TEC-Smart, a P-Tech program with Hudson Valley Community College, Brianna is on track to graduate not only with her high school diploma, but also an associate degree in Mechatronics. Brianna plans to attend SUNY Polytechnic Institute in a joint program with St. Elizabeth’s College where she will pursue a Nursing degree to eventually become a Nurse Anesthetist. 

Brianna’s mother, Rachael, has been an Administrative Assistant in the Office of Human Resources Management since 2018.