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2019 Emilia Cuevas
An excerpt from Emilia's comments:
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Eidt family and every donor for their support of Kevin's Scholarship Fund and my education. Being selected as the recipient of the 2019 Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship was and remains an honor, one that I do not take for granted and is a part of my everyday life. I stand before you and I see a community of people in this room who live their lives inspired by Kevin's, a community of people who do everything in their power to continue the legacy left by Kevin. Tonight, I hope to be able to tell you about my undergraduate education, an experience that would not have been possible without the support of the Eidt family, the Fund's benefactors both in this room and those unable to be here tonight, and the empowerment and inspiration given to me by previous scholarship recipients.
As a high school senior, I had a very clear idea of what my life in college and beyond would look like, or so I thought. High school senior Emilia would be shocked to hear that not everything went according to the rigid four year plan that I had mapped out. She would be even more shocked to hear that what happened outside of this four year plan led to the greatest college experience and to the most fulfilling career. Tonight, I hope to give you a small glimpse into the past five years of my life, both the parts that went exactly according to plan, and the parts that I would never have imagined but am thankful happened.
To read the rest of Emilia's comments, please click HERE.
2018 Katerina Karaiskos
An excerpt from Katerina's comments:
Good evening everyone. Thank you all for being here in support of Kevin’s Fund and each of Kevin’s scholarship recipients.
Five years go by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday that I stood before many of you as a high school senior, overwhelmingly grateful to be named as the 2018 recipient of Kevin's Norwalk High School Scholarship, and eagerly awaiting to embark upon my college journey. That night, I felt so many different emotions. I was nervous, excited, honored, and appreciative. Now I stand before you as a college graduate, feeling all of these same emotions, but with a bit of newfound insight. This is, without a doubt, a full-circle moment.
Some highlights from my Cornell career include my induction into the Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key Honor Societies, my involvement as a Research Assistant for two distinct lab groups, my role as the Music Director of my a cappella group, and over 500 hours of dedicated community service as an Orientation Leader, College Ambassador, and Diversity & Inclusion Chair.
To read the rest of Katerina's comments, please click HERE.
2017 Grace Bradley
An excerpt from Grace's comments:
When I was awarded the Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship in 2017, I was absolutely beside myself! I remember crying with joy when I got the call and then rushing downstairs afterwards to tell my parents. I will make my best effort to stand up tonight and not cry now because of my heartfelt gratitude, but I make no promises.
I want to express my sincerest gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Eidt for sharing the loving memory of Kevin with me and the community of recipients you have fostered, many of whom are here tonight. I am honored and privileged to have received such a generous investment in my education and I deeply appreciate everyone who made it possible. I believe that we may honor someone else’s life by living ours with a purpose and that sentiment guided me throughout college, grounding me to the morals and values that the Kevin M. Eidt Scholarship is built upon.
To read the rest of Grace's comments, please click HERE.
2016 Ava Rosato
An excerpt from Ava's comments:
Hello everyone and good evening. It feels so wonderful to finally be gathered together for this long-awaited reunion of honoring Kevin’s legacy. Tonight marks a milestone in a number of ways - not only is this the 25th year the Eidt Scholarship has been awarded at Norwalk High School but it is also most likely the first time many of us have been able to gather in this capacity since the start of the pandemic. I am deeply honored to be commemorating both of these occasions with you all tonight.
It is surreal to remember standing here 5 years ago as a bright-eyed high school senior whose dream of attending Georgetown University had just come true. I am so grateful to be here celebrating the ways in which this extraordinary scholarship continues to change the lives of dedicated scholars and families in our community. And I am especially grateful to be able to share how this scholarship has significantly impacted the past 5 years of my own life.
To read the rest of Ava's comments, please click HERE.
2015 Kimberly Devine
An excerpt from Kimberly's comments:
Since becoming an honored recipient of the Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship in 2015, I have imagined this moment several times. Mostly with a little bit of trepidation. Each year, after listening to an alumnus speak at this event with wisdom and experience that felt well beyond my years, I thought to myself, “I hope, when I graduate college, that I have something to say!”
Over the past two years, we have all faced the difficult tasks of shedding our expectations and reimagining our special moments like birthdays, graduations, and weddings. I never could have envisioned that I would address this audience more than a year after it was initially planned, but I am so grateful that I was given this re-imagined moment and a bonus year to figure out something to say. So, a sincere thank you to the Eidt family for inviting me to speak here today and for your dedication to honoring each recent alumnus and recipient of the scholarship.
To read the rest of Kimberly's comments, please click HERE.
2014 Brody O’Brien
An excerpt from Brody's comments:
"It is surreal for me to think that five years ago I stood here to accept this prestigious award. It was truly a blessing to become the 2014 recipient of the Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship and to be recognized with an award that embodies Kevin’s loving spirit and legacy. I cannot thank you all enough, for believing in me and providing me with the financial and motivational support to live my life according to Kevin’s values."
"In May 2018, I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Connecticut, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a minor in Environmental Engineering. As an “Honors Scholar,” I was the only student in my major to graduate from the Honors Program. Taking a vast array of classes across all disciplines within my major, the Engineering Department and the Honors Program fed my hunger for learning and pushed me to reach new academic heights."
To read the rest of Brody's comments, please click HERE.
2013 Nina Robertson
An excerpt from Nina's comments:
“Since receiving this award, I have found myself to be more present in each moment, embrace the highs and the lows, and be grateful for each and every day I was given the opportunity to live. I have found that everything I do now has more meaning and more purpose. When I walked across the stage to receive my diploma from Holy Cross, I could picture Kevin and all of you right there with me.”
“But the most important thing that Kevin’s award has taught me is that our connections to others are what add meaning to our lives. These connections have the potential to be so strong they can transcend time and space. All of us here tonight are connected to Kevin Eidt in some way, and we are here honoring him over 20 years after he has left this earth.”
Prior Recipients
2012 -- Alex Libre
2011 -- Lorena Sferlazza
2010 -- Eloise Libre
2009 -- Despina Sidiropoulos
2008 -- Alyxie Harrick
2007 -- Kara Bess
2006 -- Lauren O'Hagan
2005 -- Jessica Bruno
2004 -- Elana Ben-Porat
2003 -- Thomas Wagner
2002 -- Laura Sharp
2001 -- Lauriann Kress
Please click HERE to see profiles for these scholarship fund recipients.
Background
The Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship Fund was established through the generosity of the many people Kevin touched in his short life. Kevin, an 18-year-old dean's list freshman in the honors program at Boston College, passed away from cardiac arrest on January 23, 1997 while playing intramural basketball. Kevin set the example of the passion and sincerity we should bring to each day. He was an individual with vision, commitment, abiding hope, aspirations, and compassion. And when we look back, it was a life, albeit a glimpse of life, by which people can be measured and judged by.
Mission
The mission of the Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship Fund is to preserve Kevin's spirit by paying tribute to achievements in academics, athletics, arts, and the virtues of service and faith that were the essence of Kevin's life.
Fund Facts
With 13 scholarships, valued at $164,500, awarded to the class of 2023, Kevin's Fund has provided nearly $2.9 Million in financial support to 235 exemplary young men and women matriculating at over 85 diverse colleges and universities in Kevin's memory. The dramatic growth in scholarship awards is directly related to the financial success of our annual benefit dinner dance, which began in 2000 and funded scholarships for the class of 2001. As a result of this generosity, Kevin's Fund has awarded the following scholarships
To the class of 1997 $3,750 To the class of 1998 $5,000 To the class of 1999 $12,000 To the class of 2000 $13,000 To the class of 2001 $47,000 To the class of 2002 $55,000 To the class of 2003 $70,000 To the class of 2004 $85,000 To the class of 2005 $100,000 To the class of 2006 $111,000 To the class of 2007 $127,000 To the class of 2008 $139,000 To the class of 2009 $140,000 To the class of 2010 $118,000 To the class of 2011 $117,000 To the class of 2012 $115,000 To the class of 2013 $121,000 To the class of 2014 $122,000 To the class of 2015 $124,000 To the class of 2016 $122,250 To the class of 2017 $124,000 To the class of 2018 $127,000 To the class of 2019 $128,000 To the class of 2020 $128,000 To the class of 2021 $126,500 To the class of 2022 $156,000 To the class of 2023 $160,500 To the class of 2024 $164,500
For the 2024 – 2025 academic year, Kevin’s Fund is providing financial support to 14 students matriculating at Berklee College of Music, Boston College (2), College of William & Mary, Columbia (2), The George Washington University, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Stanford, Temple, UConn, Univerisity of Wisconsin, and UMass-Amherst.
| Scholarship Fund Accomplishments as of June 30, 2023 | |
| Recipients | 235 |
| Awards | $2,864,500 |
| Funding as % of Contributions | 99.5% |