Old Westbury, NY – New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) has been awarded $700,000 from the New York City Department of Education to provide scholarship aid and employment opportunities to NYIT students in occupational and physical therapy.

Each year, students are selected to receive scholarships that pay for their tuition. In return, they agree to be employed by the New York City Department of Education for 18 months and work in the public school system providing pediatric therapy services. They are paid a salary in addition to the scholarship money already received and are able to choose their workplace environment.

"This is the third cycle for which NYIT has been fortunate enough to receive this grant, and it is a fantastic opportunity for students to be able to relieve their debt load and have a job lined up for them after graduation," said Karen Friel, PT, DHS, associate professor and chairperson of NYIT's Department of Physical Therapy.

All students who are awarded this scholarship must participate in a pediatric affiliation during the professional phase of their studies to prepare them for their experiences in the schools.

"This scholarship is very appealing to our students because many are interested in pediatrics," said Hermine Plotnick, M.A., OTR/L, associate professor in NYIT's Department of Occupational Therapy. "Many of our previous scholarship winners continued to stay with the New York City Department of Education after their commitment was completed because they enjoyed the work environment, dynamic population, and flexible work hours."

NYIT's School of Health Professions offers degree programs in occupational and physical therapy, as well as other health sciences and medical fields, preparing students for success through extensive coursework, research, practice, and clinical experiences.

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About NYIT

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has 15,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, 85,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

Briana Samuels
Communications Specialist
516.686.1354