News
Search All News
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Office Hours
Monday - Friday 9am - 5pmClosed Sat. and Sun.
Scholarship Support With a Lasting Impact
June 16, 2026
Like many Lehman students, freshly minted alumna Kiara Meza was raised in the Bronx and is the first in her family to earn a college degree. As one of 45 Alice Griffin Scholars enrolled in the 2025–2026 academic year, however, she stands apart.
The Alice Griffin Scholars program (AGS) provides up to $3,000 per year to new Lehman students who began their path to higher education as members of iMentor, which pairs young people aspiring to be first-generation college students with adult volunteers who provide guidance, moral support, and opportunities to learn beyond the classroom.
Working in conjunction with mentors, AGS supports students throughout their college years, helping facilitate on-time degree completion and career preparation through in-depth college advising, financial aid workshops, internship support, and activities for scholars and mentors. Approximately 220 Lehman students have received the scholarship since it was established in 2021.
“iMentor gave me guidance, support, and encouragement throughout my educational journey. It helped me build confidence and prepare for college,” Meza said. “The Alice Griffin Scholarship helped reduce some financial stress and allowed me to focus more on my education and goals.”
Meza, also a Macaulay Honors alumna, majored in mathematics and tackled three formidable minors: actuarial science, statistics, and theatre. “I enjoy problem-solving and analytical thinking, which drew me to mathematics,” she said. “It's the joy of remembering numbers as a habit.”
“But theatre allowed me to explore my creative side and passion for performance that I have always had since I was little,” she added.
She is not stopping at a bachelor’s degree. Now searching for employment opportunities that will support graduate study, she wants to pursue a career that makes the most of her mathematics degree—while nurturing her dream of becoming a voice actor.
The scholarship is named in memory of longtime Lehman Professor Alice V. Griffin, who taught at Lehman for 42 years and was instrumental in founding Lehman’s graduate English program. It was established by her son, iMentor founder John Griffin.