Four people standing outside in a line smiling at the camera
Current Opalka Family Scholars Carley Walsh, Emma Doyle, Maeve Clements, and Sydney Davey. Abigail Duff is also a current Opalka Family Scholar and is not pictured. (Photo Courtesy of Russell Sage College)

Russell Sage College recently celebrated the recipients of the 2026-2027 Opalka Family Scholarship with a dinner held Aug. 5 at La Perla Restaurant in Averill Park.

Established in 2001 by the Opalka family, the scholarship program provides financial support to Averill Park Central School District students pursuing majors in Art + Extended Media, Interior + Spatial Design, Graphic + Media Design, Expressive Arts in Mental Health, Childhood and Early Childhood Education (B-6), Childhood Education/Early Childhood Education/Special Education, or Physical Education at Russell Sage College. Each year, eight $5,000 scholarships are awarded, providing students with a total of $20,000 over four years.

For more than two decades, the Opalka Family Scholarship has supported Averill Park students as they pursue their educational goals at Russell Sage. Chet and Karen Opalka continue to demonstrate their commitment to the Averill Park community through their support of students at Russell Sage and throughout the Capital Region.

Chet Opalka also serves on the Russell Sage College Board of Trustees.

Russell Sage College and the Opalka family encourage Averill Park High School seniors interested in pursuing careers in art or education to apply for the Opalka Family Scholarship when applying to the college.

For more information about scholarship qualifications or to apply, contact the Russell Sage College Office of Admission at admission@sage.edu or 518-292-1730.

Recent News

October 7, 2026

Counseling Student Alison Arias Focuses on Community and Cultural Competency

Discover how Russell Sage counseling student Alison Arias combines clinical preparation and cultural competency to strengthen community mental health care.
Read More
October 3, 2026

Thrive@Russell Sage to Host Wellness Break Day on October 13 for Russell Sage and ACPHS Employees

Thrive@Russell Sage, a team of employees who promote well-being for the entire Russell Sage community, will host a Wellness Break Day on October 13, 2026, for employees of both Russell Sage and Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, the college’s merger partner. The day includes activities on Russell Sage’s Albany and Troy campuses. Employees […]
Read More
October 3, 2026

Russell Sage College to Host Talk on Working Across Healthcare to Support Dementia Patients

Event Details “From Diagnosis to Daily Life: An Interprofessional Approach to Dementia” Dr. Rebecca Stetzer, M.D., a geriatrician at the Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease at Albany Medical Center, will serve as the keynote speaker at “From Diagnosis to Daily Life: An Interprofessional Approach to Dementia” on Thursday, October 29, at 7 p.m. in […]
Read More