impacting
SCHOLARSHIP
STUDENTS
together
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Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you. - St. Augustine
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As graduates of Merrimack College, we continue to be guided by Catholic, Augustinian values. We have found great pride in continuing to stay involved with the College and have developed a deep appreciation for today’s students. As we look to the future of Merrimack, we feel it is more important than ever for the College to continue to attract talented students, enable them to choose meaningful paths, and help them graduate in better financial standing. This has been the catalyst behind our decision to support scholarship at Merrimack. We believe that extraordinary things can happen when great potential catches a small break at the right moment. Those stories of potential being exceeded, with the support of scholarship, fill the pages that follow – and are what make us so proud to support Merrimack College. With gratitude, Jack and Maryann Boyce ’81
Merrimack College has increased its
NCAA student athlete participation number from 422 to 603 since 2010-11
COLLIN DELIA Class Year 2018 Hometown Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Major Civil Engineering
A finalist for college hockey’s prestigious Hockey Humanitarian Award during his sophomore and junior seasons, Collin Delia has developed a sense of passion and humility that is based off of the knowledge that nothing in life is guaranteed. A two-time Hockey East All-Academic Team selection, Collin ended his junior season among NCAA Division I leaders in save percentage and goals against average, earning him a spot on the Hockey East All-Conference Third Team as well as Hockey East Goaltending Champion honors. It comes as no surprise to those who know Collin that it is personal relationships and the welfare of others that mean the most to him. That mindset has helped him develop his own following of fans, resulting from time he dedicates to local children, and their families, battling illnesses. As a member of Merrimack’s Student-Athlete Advisory Executive Board and CRU/Athletes in Action, Collin is the catalyst behind the men’s ice hockey team’s community service, coordinating several projects around the Merrimack Valley.
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Scholarship has not only allowed me to chase my own dreams, but help enrich the lives of others in the process. I am thankful for the growth this opportunity has brought to my life, and I am indebted to those individuals who have made this possible.
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JOE FISHER Class Year 2017 Hometown Somerville, Mass. Major Health Science (Public Health)
More than 20 countries visited. Three languages mastered. Membership in four professional organizations. A wellversed conference presenter. Even research in pediatric anesthesia at a top Boston hospital. While Merrimack College has provided Joe Fisher an opportunity to study, research and present on a national and international stage, it’s the peer relationships at Merrimack that remain most important to him. As the Student Director of Honors Peer Mentoring, part of Merrimack College’s Honors Program, Joe’s main priority is to provide optimal support for student mentors and incoming first-year students. He works with two student assistant directors and the Honors Program staff to make sure the transition into Merrimack, and the Honors Program, is as smooth as possible for new students. In Joe’s words, his support touches on academic, spiritual, and social components of a student’s experience. Have a question about Merrimack? Ask Joe. “I could talk about it all day, every day.”
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My academic scholarship has made me feel even closer to the Merrimack community. I would not have been able to fully immerse myself in all of the activities at Merrimack College without it, and I truly appreciate the generosity of scholarship support.
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185% growth in Alternative Break Service Trip participation from 2011-2016
LIZZ EGAN Class Year 2017 Hometown South Dennis, Mass. Major Sports Medicine
When passion and positivity are combined, it helps to define purpose. Such was the case for Lizz Egan, who had already made her mark at Merrimack as a member of the field hockey team, Honors Program and several campus organizations; through leadership positions as an Orientation Leader and Resident Advisor; and as a volunteer with the Special Olympics, Boston Services and EPIC Young Leaders with Ability. But something was missing from Lizz’s Merrimack experience – which is why she opted to spend the summer before her senior year completing a for-credit internship/ study abroad experience in a highly impoverished area of South Africa. Lizz began her time as a volunteer living and working in solidarity with the people of the Village Heights Township. She helped construct two community buildings and a security wall around the community area to help protect the 50 children she worked with on a daily basis. During the five weeks, Lizz also volunteered in a psychiatric hospital to work on a physical therapy project with children between the ages of 2-5 who have developmental and physical disabilities.
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I have been able to truly embrace the values of community, service, social justice, and solidarity. These Augustinian pillars have influenced me to lead a life filled with service for others, and this experience has encouraged me to apply to the Peace Corps.
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JESS DeALMEIDA Class Year 2017 Hometown Brockton, Mass. Major Psychology and Spanish
Merrimack’s community exudes a commitment to scholarship and service to others. For Jess DeAlmeida, that commitment has manifested from a combination of personal experience and passion. As the President of the College’s Active Minds chapter, a newly-founded student organization that connects students to resources and works to destigmatize mental health, Jess has been able to support her peers using lessons learned in her undergraduate classes. She’s gone one step further by being employed as a Residential Advisor for Lahey Behavioral Services – moving her closer to her penultimate dream of helping others as a licensed mental health counselor. As a member of the Honors Program and Orientation Committee, a sister of Zeta Tau Alpha, a Career Peer Advisor, a speaker of four languages and a veteran intern with Brockton Public Schools, Jess has undoubtedly given back to Merrimack and the surrounding community as much as they have given to her.
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I am not just a number in the roster of Merrimack students, but an individual– a voice that is capable of changing the conversation surrounding mental health. Merrimack has contributed to my dream of becoming a mental health counselor by teaching me that any act of kindness, small or large, can move mountains within your community.
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100% of students attending the fall 2016 Professional Development Retreat indicated they ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ when asked if they found the retreat beneficial to their professional
growth
MORGAN PHIPPS Class Year 2017 Hometown Melrose, Mass. Major Business Administration (Marketing)
Morgan Phipps understands making the most of an opportunity. While attending Merrimack College’s Professional Development Retreat – a two-day, offsite event for upperclassmen that allows students the opportunity to build emotional intelligence and skills to assist in professionalism and communication – she found immediate success while polishing her networking skills. Morgan engaged in conversation with alumnus Louis Frate ’91, a member of the College Leadership Council and Corporate Sponsor of the event. That conversation led to a resume exchange and, ultimately, to Morgan landing an internship opportunity within the marketing department of Patriot Energy. While she now finds herself balancing college athletics with a full-time internship, Morgan has already been able to have an impact on the company’s marketing objectives and has a made a lifelong connection through Merrimack’s powerful alumni network. It’s just another way that Merrimack College is preparing students for lifelong success.
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I was confident going into the interview because I had just practiced all the steps you need to take in order to increase your chances of landing a job. The Professional Development Retreat prepared me for the process and helped me feel capable of really nailing it.
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KEVIN O’NEIL Class Year 2019 Hometown Boston, Mass. Major Social Justice, Political Science and Criminology
Only a sophomore, Kevin O’Neil has already made his Merrimack experience about helping others. The Orientation Coordinator, who also plans events through the Office of Student Involvement, competes in intramural sports, and achieves high academic standards through the Honors Program, recognized early on that his Merrimack years would be made more worthwhile if spent mentoring others. He didn’t limit that to just his peers, however. Putting his majors (yes, multiple), minor and passions into action, Kevin spent the summer following his freshman year interning at STRIVE Boston, where he worked as a social worker. There, he helped innercity residents, ages 16-22 and either involved with the Department of Youth Services or convicted of a crime, with job training and educational placement. In his words, “I was challenged to find the best path for each of the participants so they could succeed in the future.”
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Merrimack has given me everything I have ever wanted in a college, both academically and socially. Without my academic scholarship, I would not have been able to have this experience.
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GOOD TO GREAT SCHOLARSHIP DRIVE At Merrimack College, Catholic Augustinian values still guide our actions. Currently, more than 90% of Merrimack students receive financial assistance to bridge the gap between tuition and their ability to afford a college education. With more than $51 million in scholarship, financial aid and fellowships awarded in the last year alone, Merrimack has put an exceptional education within reach for many students. Private philanthropic support is critical to this important Augustinian mission of helping others. We have launched our “Good to Great� Scholarship Drive with the goal of raising $3 million in new endowed and current-use scholarships. Through this ambitious initiative, we will have the financial support we need to ensure that deserving students, from all backgrounds, have the opportunity to achieve greatness at Merrimack College.
progress toward the
Agenda for Distinction CAMPUS ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE 2011 • Increased undergraduate student population from 2,013 to 3,260 • Introduced 11 new undergraduate programs and more than 20 new graduate programs • Increased full-time faculty from 143 to 192, with another 20+ planned across all four schools for fall 2017 • Built and renovated more than 350,000 square feet of space for academics, athletics, residential and student life, and dining/events • Achieved a 9-month job or graduate school placement rate of 97 percent, up from 83 percent • Launched six new varsity sports for women, including Division I ice hockey
WWW.MERRIMACK.EDU/GIVING