HarborOne Bank announced today it has awarded 20 college scholarships totaling $100,000 to high school seniors as part of the bank’s ONECommunity Scholarship Program, which recognizes a commitment to academic excellence and community. Each of these 20 outstanding high school seniors received a $5,000 scholarship to their prospective schools.

“Receiving a quality education is a crucial step towards a successful future and it is imperative that we continue to support our most hard-working, deserving students,” said James W. Blake, CEO of HarborOne Bank. “It is an honor to help the students in the communities we serve have the best chance at rewarding, successful, lives and careers – and a quality higher education is a crucial component in that success.”

HarborOne Bank’s 2019 awards are part of a continuing commitment to help the best and brightest students make sure they can afford a college degree in a time of rising tuition costs. The businesses and families of the region require an educated workforce to continue to thrive. HarborOne Bank has pledged to award $1 million over a 10-year period to provide hardworking and deserving students college scholarships, the largest single scholarship program by any bank in the state. Over the last 14 years, HarborOne Bank has provided more than $500,000 in scholarships to extraordinary students throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

A committee of HarborOne Bank volunteers chose scholarship recipients from a highly competitive pool of close to 350 applicants from more than 80 communities. The awards are based on the applicants’ proven commitment to community and academic excellence. Committee members based their decisions on several factors, including personal essays, academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, awards and recognitions and level of participation in community and school activities. Eligible candidates include all high school seniors whose immediate family has an active deposit account at HarborOne Bank.

The scholarship recipients are: