An intern at Apple. The vice president of Women in Computer Science. A tight end on the football team. A tour guide.
What unites these students?
Their remarkable and impactful Lehigh experiences, of course.
But there is more to it than that.
That they are Future Makers — students who chart new directions in the world through relationships, innovation, leadership, and talent?
Yes, but even more.
If you said scholarships, well done!
Many Lehigh students might miss out on the benefits of a Lehigh experience if not for door-opening scholarships. But thanks to generous alumni who invest in students, Zemichael Gebeyehu ’24, Abby Vogel ’25, Ali Noble ’26, and Jake Stalsitz ’27 are among those who chart the course of their lives through and beyond South Mountain.
54% of current undergraduates receive some form of financial aid, with an average award of just over $50,000. In 2023, the institution awarded $137 million in grants and scholarships. Since GO Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers launched, generous alumni donors have helped establish 316 scholarships.
Equally as impactful is the Lehigh Commitment — the promise that incoming undergraduate students with a family income of less than $75,000 will receive a full-tuition grant from Lehigh.
These opportunities are transforming the university (and attracting a record number of applicants).
All of this came into focus at the 2024 Scholarship Celebration, uniting scholarship students with scholarship donors. The evening, which included mingling, a meal, and a photo booth, helped alumni and future alumni see their deep interconnections across generations: the shared love of traditions and the roll-up-your-sleeves, practical mindset that sets Lehigh apart.
“We will continue to commit to doing all we can to make a Lehigh education accessible to all students from all walks of life through steps like the Lehigh Commitment, which says to any student starting next year that comes from a family with an annual income of $75,000 a year or less that the charge for tuition will be zero,” said President Joseph J. Helble ’82 to a round of applause. “This is our commitment to bringing the best and the brightest from across the country and around the world to our university. All of this is only possible through the generous support of the broader Lehigh community, especially our scholarship donors, many of whom are here with us tonight.”
Helble then shared the platform with Gebeyehu, Vogel, Noble, and Stalsitz and asked questions about their Lehigh experience: when they first heard about Lehigh, their academic programs, summer experiences, personal growth, and future plans.
Some key aspects of what makes the Lehigh experience distinct stood out to the students: interdisciplinary thinking, hands-on learning, experiential opportunities, and deep loyalty.
“When I looked at Lehigh, the application asked if I wanted to apply to an interdisciplinary program. One was computer science and business,” said Vogel. “At every other college, I applied just as a computer science major, but at Lehigh, the combined program could give me the underlying business knowledge of finance, management, accounting, and marketing and also go deep into the computer science field and give me a competitive edge in the future.”
“Lehigh really emphasizes the experiential learning opportunities that are not limited to the classes you are taking but are part of student teams and clubs where you can implement what you learn,” said Gebeyehu.
“I was able to go to the United Nations with the College of Health and meet with a person from the World Health Organization. It was an amazing opportunity,” said Noble. “In high school, I thought health meant a career as a physician, but the College of Health has provided me with a glimpse into different worlds in the field of health, and there are so many other routes that I can take.”
“I was first on Mountaintop campus when my mom was nine months pregnant with me for my uncle’s wedding reception. So I guess I was coming to Lehigh before I was even born,” said Stalsitz. “My grandfather was in the Class of 1970, and my uncle was in the Class of 2000. So it was an easy decision to come back to Lehigh.”
Alumni also met Soaring Together scholars, who benefit from Lehigh’s signature scholarship program offering full-tuition scholarships combined with experiential learning opportunities and alumni connections. The program, which honors the 50-year milestone of coeducation at Lehigh, is in its first year. The university’s goal is to establish 50 scholarships through philanthropy.
Stu ’69 and Patricia Van Scoyoc, in their first return to campus since graduation (which was just two days before they were married), sat with some of the Soaring Together Scholars. “They were uniformly impressive and, if not for the scholarships, would have been unable to attend Lehigh,” Stu said. Remember, whether to admit undergraduate women to Lehigh was being debated when he was a student. “All felt very happy with their choice of Lehigh and the education they are receiving. All were looking forward to a variety of summer experiences.”
Scholarships are a top priority of GO Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers. Learn more about how to impact the lives of students through a scholarship.
Meet the panelists to learn more about their trajectories:
Zemichael Gebeyehu ’24 is from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, majoring in mechanical engineering with triple minors in economics, electrical engineering, and aerospace engineering. He is determined to merge these fields to push the boundaries of what is possible. Gebeyehu is the founder and president of the Lehigh University Space Initiative, a Students for the Exploration and Development of Space chapter that promotes spaceflight and astronautics. He also served as team lead for Lehigh Underwater Robotics and subteam lead for Lehigh Formula SAE. Gebeyehu is passionate about research, working at the Unsteady Flow Interactions Laboratory under Professor Keith Moored. He is also a member of the African Students Association, National Society of Black Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society. Gebeyehu hopes to enroll in graduate programs in mechanical or aerospace engineering and after graduation will pursue jobs in the tech industry. He is a recipient of the Walsh Family Scholarship.
Abby Vogel ’25 is fascinated by how the ever-changing technological landscape contributes to advancements in society and can be used to solve real-world problems. Hailing from Milford, Pennsylvania, Vogel was driven by her passion for learning to study computer science and business in order to expand her horizons in multiple disciplines. She plans on graduating this spring and staying at Lehigh for an additional year to pursue a master’s degree in computer science. Vogel studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain, where she interned with a software development startup. Since then, she has worked as a software engineer intern at Lincoln Financial. This summer, Vogel plans to work as a software engineer intern at nCino, a fintech company. On campus, Vogel serves as vice president of Women in Computer Science, secretary of Tau Beta Pi, and is a Rossin Junior Fellow. She is also co-president of the women’s club Ultimate Frisbee team and works at the front desk of Linderman Library. After graduation, Vogel plans to pursue a career in software engineering. She is a recipient of the Alice A. Guyer Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Ali Noble ’26 is passionate about creating a strong sense of community and belonging for herself and others. Originally from Yonkers, New York, Noble is an active contributor to the campus and local communities through her various roles as a tutor in the community service office, a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, a tour guide and admissions diversity recruitment team member, and secretary of LU Kapamilya, Lehigh’s first Filipino club. Noble is training to become an orientation leader to further develop as a role model and leader, guiding first-year students and showing them all Lehigh has to offer. Her pursuit of helping others and fostering a healthy community is also highlighted in her studies as a population health major. Noble’s goal after graduation is to improve systemic healthcare disparities and inequities. She is a recipient of the Kenneth R. French ’75 and Vickie A. French Endowed Scholarship Fund.
Jake Stalsitz ’27 grew up just minutes away from campus and always dreamed of attending Lehigh. He spent his childhood nights and weekends at Goodman Stadium or Grace Hall cheering on the football and wrestling teams. After his family moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, Stalsitz found an opportunity in football to come back to the area, become a Lehigh student-athlete, and follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and uncle, both proud alumni. He hopes to spend his years at Lehigh building on the strong foundation of community involvement that he developed in high school. Stalsitz plans to apply to the psychology program and eventually into the College of Education to pursue a master’s degree that will allow him to combine his passions for learning and football by becoming a teacher and coach. He is a recipient of the Andrew Larko, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund.
