Mae and George Siller were the parents of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller and his six siblings, including Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. George was a man of extraordinary tenacity and enthusiasm for life—even when times were hard, he attacked each day with faith in his heart and a sparkle in his eye. Mae had a quiet wisdom and deep insight into the meaning of life. She taught her children to find grace in difficulty and to “offer it up to God”—to take whatever suffering came their way and transform it into something meaningful.

Together, they raised seven children with the values of faith, family, and service to others. Their greatest accomplishment was simply being great parents. Stephen—their youngest, born when George was 49 and Mae was 44—was the miracle baby of the family. Everything the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has accomplished traces back to the values Mae and George instilled in their children.

This scholarship program is named in their honor because the investment they made in their own children’s futures is exactly what this program aims to continue: ensuring that every hero’s child has the support to pursue their education and build a life of purpose.

The mission of the Mae & George Siller Tunnel to Towers Scholarship Program is to honor the sacrifice of the families we serve by supporting the educational futures of their children. Our scholarships bridge the gap between available education benefits and the full cost of education, so that financial barriers never stand between these students and their goals.

Just as Stephen Siller ran toward others in their moment of need, this program runs toward the children he left behind—and the children of every hero who made a similar sacrifice.

The scholarship is available to the legal children of families served by the Tunnel to Towers In the Line of Duty Program who were provided a mortgage free home through our Smart Home, Gold Star, and Fallen First Responder programs. If your family is part of the Tunnel to Towers family, your children are eligible.

Eligible applicants may be enrolled in, or planning to enroll in:

• Undergraduate degree programs
• Accredited trade schools or certification programs

We welcome applicants up to age 33. We know that educational journeys don’t always follow a traditional timeline—especially for young people who’ve experienced significant loss. Whether you’re heading to college right out of high school or returning to school later, this program is here for you.

We ask students to maintain a minimum semester GPA of 2.0. Our goal is to keep you on track and moving forward. If you hit a rough patch—and life happens—please reach out to your Scholarship Administrator before assuming you’ve lost eligibility. We’re here to help you succeed, not to create obstacles.

Yes. We support eligible students whether you’re enrolled full-time or part-time. What matters is that you’re pursuing your education—at whatever pace works for your life.

That’s completely okay. Not every student is ready to commit to a path right away, and this program supports trade schools and certification programs in addition to traditional college. Your Scholarship Administrator can talk through options and help your child explore what’s right for them. The important thing is that the support will be here when they’re ready.

The process starts with a conversation. Contact a Tunnel to Towers Scholarship Administrator, and they’ll walk you through every step—from the enrollment form to gathering documentation. Once enrolled, scholarships are applied for and awarded on a semester-by-semester basis.

Families can reach the program at collegescholarships@t2t.org to speak with a Scholarship Administrator and begin the enrollment process. Think of your administrator as your partner in this—they’re here to help you navigate not just this program, but the full landscape of education benefits available to your family.

We know this list can feel overwhelming. Don’t worry—your Scholarship Administrator will walk you through every item and help you gather what you need. Required materials may include:

• Documentation verifying the qualifying line-of-duty death or catastrophic injury
• Official documentation confirming the service member’s or first responder’s service status
• Proof of relationship to the service member or first responder
• VA benefit eligibility documentation
• Academic transcripts
• Class schedule or proof of enrollment
• Bursar/tuition statements
• Itemized education-related expenses

The scholarship supports undergraduate degrees and accredited trade or certification programs. Whether your child wants to become a nurse, an electrician, a teacher, or an engineer, this program is designed to help them get there.

The program provides support for the real costs of getting an education:

• Tuition and mandatory fees
• Books and supplies
• On-campus housing
• Living expenses or stipends
• One-time technology stipends (such as a laptop or required equipment)
• Pre-college testing and application costs for high school students

The program may establish a lifetime funding cap and a maximum number of funded semesters, based on available resources. Your Scholarship Administrator can discuss specifics with you based on your student’s individual plan and timeline.

One of the most important things we do is help families maximize every dollar of support available to them. Before Tunnel to Towers funding kicks in, students should apply for and utilize other education benefits, including:

• VA education benefits (such as Chapter 33 or Chapter 35)
• Federal and state grants
• Other scholarships or benefits available to children of fallen or catastrophically injured first responders and service members

Your Scholarship Administrator will help you understand, apply for, and navigate these other resources. Many families don’t realize the full range of benefits available to them—that’s what we’re here for. Once those resources are in place, the Tunnel to Towers Scholarship Program closes the remaining gap so your student can focus on their education, not their finances.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so there’s no single deadline to worry about. Complete applications with all required documentation will be processed within a defined review period. The sooner your materials are in, the sooner support can begin.

Approved awards are paid directly to educational institutions for billed expenses like tuition and fees. For qualifying out-of-pocket costs such as books and supplies, students can be reimbursed directly.

Absolutely. This program is about more than writing checks. We connect families with pre-college preparation tools, tutoring, career development support, and other services designed to set students up for long-term success—not just graduation day, but the career and life that follows.

Life doesn’t always go in a straight line—especially for families who’ve experienced what yours has. If a student needs to step away, they should let their Scholarship Administrator know. We’ll work with you to figure out next steps and make sure the door stays open for when they’re ready to return.

Our hope is that every student in this program not only earns their degree or certification but carries forward the values that their parents embodied: courage, service, and commitment to something bigger than themselves. Mae and George Siller believed that being a great parent was the greatest accomplishment of all. This program honors that belief by investing in the next generation of leaders, builders, healers, and public servants.

From time to time, the program may make updates to reflect changing circumstances or available resources. The Foundation is committed to supporting enrolled scholars and will communicate any changes clearly and in advance whenever possible. Our goal will always remain the same: to stand behind these students and their educational progress.