Schools
Greenwich Scholarship Association
A long tradition of the Greenwich community supporting the future of its youth.
The Greenwich Scholarship Association (GSA) is an independent, all-volunteer, tax-exempt organization that offers scholarship aid based on financial need. Most of the recipients are graduates of .
This year marks the 39th year that GSA has been helping dreams come true for graduating seniors. Back in 1978, there were 28 sponsors who contributed $16,700 to GSA. Today, they proudly attracted 100 sponsors and distributed an impressive $511,600.
In its 39-year lifespan, on average approximately 100 students per year have
benefited from scholarships, bringing the number of recipients into the thousands, estimated GSA president Dr. Marie Hertzig.
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According to Hertzig, GSA has been told by the Fairfield County Community Foundation, their fiduciary agent, that nowhere in Connecticut (and possibly nowhere in the nation) is there a group quite like GSA. While most communities may offer scholarships through their schools and civic groups, none are organized quite as like GSA, making them very highly unique.
At the award ceremony in mid-June, Hertzig observed that "a testament to the enthusiasm generated by our scholarship ceremony," was even the sponsors who took part at the end of the evening (nearly 10 p.m.) "were as smiling and happy to present their awards as were the recipients to receive them."
Clearly Hertzig's involvement is another example of the attraction power of GSA. She has been president for 19 years and prior to that she was a GSA board member.
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What keeps her involved? Simply, Hertzig says, "I find the work to be tremendously rewarding." She explains that the knowledge of the sustainability of GSA’s impact is empowering. "A couple of years ago, a few GSA committee members conducted a follow-up study and determined that 91% of the students who were awarded scholarships went on to graduate from College." Besides the high success rate, Hertzig is inspired to stay engaged by the students themselves. "I love working with high school students; the possibility of encouraging them in such a meaningful way."
The magic of GSA seems to be contagious. "People see what we are doing as interesting and they ask to join. It takes two to three years to really understand the process. Every year we will lose a few board members and we gain a few."
She says, "The full Board meets in the fall, winter and spring. There are various other tasks such as the personal interviews, preparation for the awards and two evenings of allocations. The busy season is between March 9th and June 15th."
This year saw the addition of 6 new scholarships, 5 of which are memorials: 3 in memory of youths and 2 of teachers. Hertizig sees the value of the memorials as a win/win. "We can bring comfort to a family for a loss; keeping the name alive is a positive thing that will actually help others as well."
Overall, more than 40 percent of the awards are memorials. The remaining are
from community organizations, civic clubs and businesses. Collectively, the awards "reflect the heart of the community and that heart is very generous," explains Hertzig.
GHS Headmaster Chris Winters couldn't agree more. "The GSA Awards were
a fabulous night at GHS. The awards, many of which are memorial awards, allow our students to attend college with reduced financial burdens. It demonstrates the incredible generosity of residents in Greenwich and a strong town culture of assisting those who both need and deserve the help."
There were 122 awards this year, making it among the one of the larger groups. Last year was the first time GSA distributed more than $500,000. Hertzig recalls when she first became involved and the allocated amount was a $28,000
The Greenwich PTA Council distributed 33 awards at $850 each. The Greenwich High School PTA awarded 33 awards at $750 each. The GSA, with an endowment of $4 million, distributes up to 5 percent of their endowment. This year they awarded $155,000 and the 100 sponsors contributed the remaining $357,600.
The awards below are listed alphabetically by the first letter of the award name, except for awards from the GSA endowment funds (Charlton, Lyman, Reynolds) which appear at the end of the list.
Click here for a list and descriptions of all of the Greenwich Scholarship Association Memorial Awards.
To see the photos from the award ceremony click here.
Alan Capasso Greenwich High School PTA Award
- Courtney Ziluca
Allan Kitchel Jr. Memorial Fund Award
- Taylor Horty
- Brent Middleton
- Ashley Pinkowski
- Jonathan Wardell
- Imogen Yates
Allyson S. Mascali Memorial Scholarship
- Raymond Swaby
American Association of University Women Scholarship
- Kelly Riley
American Red Cross Scholarship in Memory of Dwight H. Renfrew III and John E. Schmeltzer IV
- Mark Deluca
- Taylor LoGrasso
- Jeffrey Wilson
Becky Stone Memorial Scholarship
- Manuel Orellana
Brian Thomas Macken Memorial Scholarship
- Louis Pulitano
Byram Scholarship
- Vinicius Franchin
Camilla Kelley Memorial Scholarship
- Emma Kelley
Caryn U. Jacoby/Christian J. A. Urciuoli Scholarship Fund
- Glaura Paiva
Charles W. Jensen III, D.M.D. Memorial Scholarship
- Stuart Grant Lowe
Chickahominy Reunion Committee Award
- Jessica Casas
- Sam Derene
- Stephanie Lopez
- Brent Middleton
- Michael Schmeiler
Chicken Joe's Ride For Kids Scholarship
- Jessica Fiscella
- Erica Strazza
Chicken Joe's Scholarship Award
- David Gordon
Christopher J. Chute Memorial Scholarship
- Jessica Fiscella
Christopher T. Harris Jr. Memorial Scholarship
- Alex Schectman
Connections Scholarship Award
- Martha Adams
Daly Memorial Scholarship
- Wendy Hermoza
Diane M. Intrieri Memorial Scholarship
- Emily Barresi
- Guillermo Novella
Donald F. Greene Scholarship, funded by The Institute for Socioeconomic Studies in Memory of Leonard M. Greene
- Nicole Fierro
- Taylor Horty
- Allison Misciagno-Bergin
- Natalya Skjelmose
- Ted Zeta
Dr. William & Mrs. Eduvina Hennigar Memorial Scholarship
- Marcos Quiquivix
Elizabeth Matthews Memorial Scholarship
- Tenzin Kusang
- Thomas McKay
- Steve Ortiz
- Glaura Paiva
- Marcos Quiquivix
- Kelly Riley
Friends of Greenwich Point
- Emma Tanen
Garden Club of Old Greenwich Scholarship Award
- Jonathan Wardell
George Barradas Glenville Maverick Memorial Award
- Daniel Lombardi
Grayson Garb Memorial Scholarship
- Timothy Frazier
The Robert Curtis Memorial Award by the Greenwich Association of Realtors
- Elisabeth Bloom
Greenwich Basketball Association Scholarship in Memory of Tod Clonan
- Kyle Avery
- Eric Barrillas
- Jason Morilla
- Francesco Servidio
Greenwich Center for Career Opportunities Scholarship
- Dwight Richards
Greenwich Chamber of Commerce Scholarship
- Dillon Novakowski
Greenwich Democratic Town Committee in memory of David Roberson
- Chloe Gardner
Greenwich Exchange for Women's Work Award
- Chelsea Bacon
Greenwich Firefighters Association Local 1042 Scholarship
- Daniel Banfield-Keller
- Sam Derene
- Fitzgerald Francois
- Meaghan Garofalo
- Michelle Peterson
Greenwich High School Class of '57 Award
- Meaghan Garofalo
Greenwich Organization for School Administrators Scholarship
- Yasmin Contreras
Greenwich High School PTA Award
- Cesar Aguero
- Angel Alicea
- Bryan Collins
- Yasmin Contreras
- Mark Filippo
- Vinicius Franchin
- Timothy Frazier
- Samantha Furgason
- Maricela Gonzalez
- Neelab Hussaini
- Carly Jenkins
- Emma Kelley
- Zachary Lederman
- Jennifer Mata
- Kimberly Mata
- Johanna Mattsson
- Thomas McKay
- Sarah Mellilo
- Meena Nasimi
- Steve Ortiz
- Michelle Peterson
- Ashley Pinkowski
- Jessica Polistina
- Kelly Riley
- Christopher Santiago
- Alex Schectman
- Francesco Servidio
- Natalya Skjelmose
- Karen Valencia
- Noelle Valentine
- Alex Vergara
- Imogen Yates
Greenwich Hospital Auxiliary Scholarships
- Roma Desai
- Samantha Furgason
- Tenzin Kusang
- Erica Strazza
Greenwich Housing Authority Award
- Wendy Hermoza
- Stephanie Lopez
- Txema Palacio
- Sung Kweun "Danny" Park
- Marcos Quiquivix
- Chris Santiago
- Raymond Swaby
- Noelle Valentine
Greenwich Jaycee Charitable Trust Fund Award
- Samantha Furgason
- Neelab Hussaini
Greenwich Multiple Listing Award
- Sam Derene
Greenwich Old Timers Athletic Association Scholarship
- Tori Dobson
- Timothy Frazier
- MaryMargaret Koester
- Daniel Lombardi
Greenwich Reform Synagogue Scholarship
- Meaghan Garofalo
- Sydny Grossman
Greenwich Rotary Club Scholarship
- Cameron Dawson
- Chloe Gardner
Greenwich Soccer Club Scholarship in Memory of Joe Lenihan and Fred Varrachi
- Courtney Ziluca
Greenwich Woman's Club Award
- Conner Gaffney
- Taylor LoGrasso
- Allison Misciagno-Bergin
Greenwich Youth Cheerleading League Scholarship Award
- Nicole Fierro
- Anna Katsigris
- Erica Strazza
- Margaret Wallace
Hallenborg Memorial Scholarship
- Julie-Anne Baghajian
Hertzig Family Scholarship
- Fernando Marinho
- Filipe Marinho
Hopetown Scholarship Fund Award
- David Gordon
- Dillon Novakowski
Idella Stuart Hempstead Scholarship Award
- Jason Morilla
- Dayana Peykova
- Imogen Yates
Improved Order of the Red Men, Mayn Mayano Tribe 46 Award
- Marc Deluca
- Jessica Fiscella
- Anna Katsigris
- Joseph Marianacci
Jane C. Bausman Memorial Scholarship
- Lauren Mascioli
James L. Branca Memorial Republican Town Committee Scholarship
- Michelle Maxwell
- Francesco Servidio
James Fahy Jr. Memorial Scholarship
- Anthony Altomaro
Jeanne Belles Memorial Scholarship
- Noelle Valentine
Jessica Lee Brett Memorial Scholarship
- Yasmin Contreras
Jewish Family Services - Rogath Scholarship Fund Award
- Sam Derene
- Gabrielle Frank
- Sydny Grossman
- Zachary Lederman
- Jessica Rehberger
- Rebecca Schreff
John Bria Scholarship for Music
- Alex Schectman
John Gilder Memorial Scholarship
- Savannah Cassidy
John G. Vrabec Shadow Foundation Scholarship
- Cesar Aguero
- Kyle Avery
- Emily Carriero
- Bryan Collins
- Jessica Fahy
- Jessica Fiscella
- Vinicius Franchin
- Conner Gaffney
- Carly Jenkins
- Jennifer Mata
- Kimberly Mata
- Jonathan McEvoy-Zeballos
- Jason Morilla
- Dayana Peykova
- Jose Valdovinos
John Zumbo Memorial Scholarship
- Daniel Lombardi
- Erica Strazza
Joseph & Marie Nemec Scholarship Fund Award
- Fernando Marinho
- Filipe Marinho
Joseph Schiano Memorial Scholarship
- Dwight Richards
The Joseph Piro Jr. Memorial Scholarship
- Joseph McGuire
Justin Scott Brown Memorial Scholarship
- Alex Schectman
Kiwanis Keogh Scholarship
- Britt Smith
Laurie Abelson Memorial Scholarship
- Samatha Furgason
Linda & Steven B. Fox Family Scholarship
- Britt Smith
Linda Hoenig Memorial Scholarship
- Nicole Fierro
- Jennifer Mata
- Kimberly Mata
- Kelly Riley
- Noelle Valentine
Lions Foundation of Greenwich Scholarship Award
- Michelle Maxwell
Martha Moxley Memorial Scholarship
- Taylor Horty
Matthew Yee Scholarship Fund Award
- Jennifer Mata
- Kimberly Mata
Michael Jon Greenberg Memorial Scholarship
- Courtney Ziluca
Michelle Yee Memorial Scholarship
- Wendy Hermoza
Monique Dalan Memorial Scholarship - Greenwich Police Emerald Society/Greenwich Police Social Club
- MaryMargaret Koester
The Morris and Florence Bender Foundation Scholarship
- Joshua Smith
Nancy J. Michaud Memorial Award
- Brandon Ulnits
Nathan L. Nathanson Memorial Scholarship
- Kelly Riley
Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists Scholarship
- Joseph Marianacci
Osgood Lichty Scholarship Fund Award
- Emma Henry
PTA Council Awards
- Daniel Banfield-Keller
- Savannah Cassidy
- Cameron Dawson
- Sam Derene
- Jessica Fiscella
- Fitzgerald Francois
- Meaghan Garofalo
- David Gordon
- Sydny Grossman
- Wendy Hermoza
- Taylor Horty
- Mary Margaret Koester
- Reed LaRiviere
- Taylor LoGrasso
- Daniel Lombardi
- Stuart Grant Lowe
- Joseph Marianacci
- Brent Middleton
- Txema Palacio
- Antonio Munive
- Dillon Novakowski
- Manuel Orellana
- Melody Pabon
- Glaura Paiva
- Sung Kweun "Danny" Park
- Marcos Quiquivix
- Nicholas Robison
- Erica Strazza
- Raymond Swaby
- Jose Valdovinos
- Jonathan Wardell
- Courtney Ziluca
- Erika Zuniga
Richard M. Aidinis, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
- Ashley Pinkowski
Robert A. Benoit Memorial Scholarship
- Fernando Marinho
Roberta Davis Memorial Scholarship
- Rebecca Schreff
Rudy's Limousine - Dominic Conetta Memorial Scholarship
- Mark Deluca
- Nicole Fierro
- Joseph McGuire
- William O'Connor
- Dwight Richards
- Erica Strazza
Second Congregational Church Women's Fellowship Scholarship
- Kirby Taylor
Signettes Scholarship
- Margaret Selkow
Silver Shield Association- Kathleen Robinson Memorial Scholarship
- Maricela Gonzalez
Sunny Hill Children's Center Scholarship
- Jessica Fiscella
Susannah Chase Memorial Scholarship
- Melody Pabon
Tod Clonan Memorial Scholarship for Athletic Excellence
- Daniel Lombardi
Tommy Conelias, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
- Erica Strazza
Trendmaker Scholarship
- Meena Nasimi
- Jessica Polistina
- Nicholas Robison
- Matt Tellez
- Erika Zuniga
Velaj Foundation Scholarship
- Irina Racheva
Vin Giuliani Scholarship for Graphic Arts
- Guillermo Novella
Virginia Flanagan Memorial Scholarship
- Jessica Fiscella
Willard E. Hoyt Memorial Baseball Scholarship
- Michael DeGiorgio
Wataru John Narita Memorial Scholarship
- Tyler Helmrich
Western Greenwich Lions Club Scholarship
- Courtney Ziluca
- Charlton Fund
- Cameron Dawson
- Jessica Fiscella
- Fitzgerald Francois
- Timothy Frazier
- Meaghan Garofalo
- Neelab Hussaini
- MaryMargaret Koester
- Daniel Lombardi
- Danielle Martin
- Manuel Orellana
- Glaura Paiva
- Txema Palacio
- Michelle Petersen
- Karen Pozo
- Christopher Santiago
- Joshua Smith
- Matt Tellez
- Brandon Ulnits
- Karen Valencia
- Gracia Vargas
- Imogen Yates
Lyman Fund
- Daniel Banfield-Keller
- Tyler Bongiorni
- Savannah Cassidy
- Bryan Collins
- Sam Derene
- Vinicius Franchin
- Samantha Furgason
- Tenzin Kusang
- Stephanie Lopez
- Brent Middleton
- Meena Nasimi
- Dillon Novakowski
- Jessica Polistina
- Nicholas Robison
- Francesco Servidio
- Raymond Swaby
- Jose Valdovinos
- Noelle Valentine
- Jonathan Wardell
- Courtney Ziluca
Reynolds Fund
- Mark Filippo
- David Gordon
- Sydny Grossman
- Carly Jenkins
- Emma Kelley
- Reed LaRiviere
- Taylor Lo Grasso
- Stuart Grant Lowe
- Joseph Marianacci
- Filipe Marinho
- Fernando Marinho
- Jennifer Mata
- Kimberly Mata
- Thomas McKay
- Antonio Munive
- Sung Kweun "Danny" Park
- Ashley Pinkowski
- Dwight Richards
- Kirby Taylor
- Alex Vergara
- Erika Zuniga
Congratulations to all of the Scholarship winners and especially to the Greenwich Scholarship Association for another successful year!