Screenshot 2025-03-11 at 3.19.45 PM.png

WHO IS SAVITHRI GOPALAKRISHNAN?

Born as the oldest child among five siblings, Savithri Gopalakrishnan was a force to reckon with and always nurtured a burning desire to learn and broaden her knowledge.

During her time, girls were not encouraged to pursue educational goals and her educational aspirations were cut short after 8th grade. Even though she ended up having to adhere to the pressures of society and discontinued her official schooling, the desire to learn and obtain at least an undergraduate degree always existed within her. And even while she couldn’t complete her high school, she encouraged and supported all her siblings and strived to ensure that each one of them excelled professionally. She did the same with her own six children due to which each one of them not only excelled in their academic pursuits, but in their professional pursuits as well. One of her children was an esteemed Professor of ESL here at CCP. Her name is Dr. Girija Nagaswami. Maybe you know her!

When Savithri's youngest child began high school, and with her husband’s encouragement, Savithri enrolled in what used to be called "correspondence courses" which paved the way toward her dream of obtaining an undergraduate degree in liberal arts. This ultimately provided her with an opportunity to serve as a principal in an elementary school.

Savithri's desire to learn never ebbed and even at the age of 90, she learned to use modern technology such as the iPAD so that she could stay connected with all her children and grandchildren locally and abroad! Having fulfilled her own educational goals through hardship and struggles, later in life when she could afford to do so, she took every opportunity to generously support young girls and boys who couldn’t afford to pay their tuition. In fact, it was no surprise to anyone when she insisted that the nurse who attended to her needs receive additional money so that the nurse could pay her son’s college tuition. And today, it is only fitting that this scholarship in Savithri Gopalakrishnan's honour paves the way for students right here in Philadelphia, to continue their education at the College.

WHO CAN APPLY?

To be eligible, you must be enrolled in an ESL course this semester.

HOW DO I APPLY?

You can click on the "Apply Now" image on myccp.edu

Screenshot 2025-01-31 at 1.09.16 PM.png

OR you can click on STUDENT SERVICES and then SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS

Screenshot 2023-10-05 at 7.09.47 PM.png

- Click here to see an instructional video.
- Fill in all your information. Everything is confidential. Answer everything honestly.
- If you are only applying for the Gopalakrishnan Scholarship, you can skip these two parts on VOLUNTEER SERVICE and SPORTS. Just click on NO:

Screenshot 2023-10-05 at 7.13.54 PM.png

Screenshot 2023-10-05 at 7.16.01 PM.png

BUT if you want to apply to every scholarship at CCP, then complete those sections.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I WIN?

You will be notified through MyCCP. And you will receive your award at an end-of-year celebration.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO FOR THE APPLICATION?

Give yourself three weeks to prepare. The application is due on December 1 in the Fall and April 18 in the Spring.

An ESSAY of at least 300 words about your
- academic goals
- career goals
- challenges you have faced in pursuing your educational goals.
- We want to learn about you, so write about your own experiences in your own voice.
- Just try your best - your essay doesn't have to be perfect.

You will need a LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION from one of your ESL professors.
- IMPORTANT: Before giving your teacher’s name, you must contact them for permission. To help your teacher write a positive recommendation, describe the scholarship you are applying for, remind them about the good work you did in their class and give some background information about yourself and your goals.