Five Olean High School graduates recently received awards from scholarship funds managed by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, including the newly established Robert E. Hull VMD Memorial Scholarship.
Kiran Khettry received the inaugural Robert E. Hull VMD Memorial Scholarship for $1,500.
Established in memory of Robert Hull, an Olean native who went on to a long, successful career in veterinary medicine in Pittsburgh, PA, this scholarship is for students who demonstrate a financial need, academic success (minimum GPA 3.0 or better), and who intend to pursue a degree at a 2- or 4-year college in a field of the sciences, but other majors may be considered. Preference is given first to minorities graduating from Olean High School (Dr. Hull's alma mater) and if no applicants meet that criteria, the second preference is for girls graduating from Olean High School. Second preference is for students graduating from any high school in Cattaraugus County meeting the above criteria.
Khettry plans to study discovery arts at the University of Dayton.
Collete Trudeau received the Good Samaritan Award for $500.
The scholarship, established by Pierre Eade, an Olean High School educational wall-of-famer and founder of the Olean Homeless Huskies, is awarded to an Olean High School graduate who demonstrates and models exceptional qualities of care, compassion and concern for fellow students and community. The recipient must have participated in one or more Homeless Huskie Night events during his/her tenure at OHS. Community service and active roles in leadership will also be taken into consideration.
Trudeau plans to study biological sciences/pre-medicine at Ohio University.
Anthony Addotta Jr. received the OHS Walter L. Reisner Unsung Lineman Award for $500.
This $500 scholarship is funded through the Walt and Ruth Reisner Fund, a fund established as an endowment by Ruth Reisner in memory of her late husband, Walt Reisner. The award is for a graduating OHS varsity football letter winner. The scholarship is named for Walter L. Reisner, Walt’s grandfather, a standout Olean football player who went on to play at Muhlenberg College, where he was honored as a member of the all-time Muhlenberg football team.
Addotta will attend Erie Community College to study the humanities.
Joe Magro received the Thomas W. Conklin Scholarship for $1,000.
The Thomas W. Conklin Sr. Scholarship, given over two semesters in $500 disbursements, is for a graduating senior of Allegany-Limestone Central or Olean High School attending the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
The student must have maintained an overall grade point average of 85 or above during his or her high school career and exhibited high academic effort. The student must exhibit certain intangible qualities including: kindness to others, leadership, positive attitude, and sense of humor. The student must demonstrate past involvement in the community. Mr. Conklin’s family and co-workers at KOA Speer Electronics in Bradford, PA established the scholarship in his memory.
Magro will study exercise science at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Lucas Perry received the Thomas & Robert Smythe Scholarship for $2,500.
The Smythe scholarship is a $2,500 award available to Olean High School graduating seniors pursuing a nursing degree. Established as part of the Olean City School District Scholarship Fund through the estate of Phyllis G. Cridler Family Trust, the scholarship is named in memory of Mrs. Cridler’s sons, Thomas and Robert.
Perry will study nursing at Alfred State College.
Donations can be made any of these funds at CRCF, 301 North Union St., Suite 203, Olean, NY 14760 or online at cattfoundation.org.
Established in 1994, the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).
