Foundation awards 1,150 local scholarships

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD For Parisa Samimi of Springfield, the scholarships she received through the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) made her college plans possible.

"I think, I know I couldn't afford to go to that college," she said Wednesday, referring to New York University. Samimi plans a career in medicine.

Samimi was one of five students at a press event representing the 740 area students who received 1,150 scholarships, totaling $2.2 million from CFWM. This is the 14th year of the scholarship program. Last year $1.9 million was awarded.

Sonia Nieto, who is the chair of the CFWM Education Committee, explained that 3,000 applicants applied for funding through the 95 scholarships administered through the CFWM.

"We hope to give more and more each year," she said.

Nieto, who is a retired professor of language, literacy and culture at UMass-Amherst, said that she was the first in her family to attend college and she knows that many of the recipients are also the first in their families.

Jacqueline Johnson of Northampton said that she is one of those "firsts." She is attending Mount Holyoke College and majoring in urban planning.

Dr. Carol Leary, president of Bay Path College and chair of the CFWM, thanked the group of 150 volunteers who worked in the selection process.

The majority of the recipients are seeking a bachelor degree, although the range of academic programs recipients are pursuing range from one-year certificate programs to doctorate degrees. More than 90 percent of the recipients live in the four western counties and 55 percent are Hamdpen County residents. Although the recipients are attending colleges throughout the nation, the majority are enrolled at local institutions such as UMass-Amherst, Westfield State College, Holyoke Community College, Western New England College, Bay Path College and Springfield College.

The impact of the CFWM scholarships can be seen at these local schools.

Darnell Hubbard of Springfield, who is attending Western New England College (WNEC) for a business degree and then plans to go on to law school, said there were 28 other students at WNEC now who received scholarships from CFWM.

The recipients are not all traditional students. Sondra Jasienowski of Chicopee said she worked on a cruise ship several years before returning to the area and attending Holyoke Community College. She is now a senior at Mount Holyoke College and is in the physician's assistant program.

Andrew Lak of Worthington said he has been in foster care for the past seven years and that receiving the scholarships made his plans to attend UMass-Dartmouth for engineering a reality.

Dawn Lapierre, the CFWM education officer, explained the scholarship program "helps fill unmet needs" of students considering college and can help lower the amount of loans. She explained the average student participating in the federal Stafford Loan program borrows $17,125.

Lapierre said the Foundation also administers an interest-free loan program. Last year 200 students borrowed a total of $550,000.

The CFWM always welcomes contributions to the scholarship program, Development Officer Katie Allan Zobel said. Individuals or businesses can either contribute funding to be used in established scholarships or begin a named scholarship with a contribution of $10,000.

Named scholarships can be used to honored someone and can be designed with restrictions to help a targeted group of students.

For more information on the scholarship program call 732-2858 or log onto www.communityfoundation.org.