2024 Scholarship Awards

Akin Hall Association Awards $50,000 to 2024 Pawling High School Graduates

Celebrating 45 years of scholarship giving, the Trustees of the Akin Hall Association (AHA) Scholarship Endowment Fund fulfilled their mission with a total of $50,000 in awards, honoring the following top 10 percent academic achieving students in the recent 2024 Pawling High School graduating senior class.

The following five selected graduates were each presented individual scholarships for their chosen higher academic institution and area of study:  $10,000 to Nicholas DeMarta, Purdue University, Aerospace/Astronautical Engineering; $10,000 to Sean Robert Schmidt, University of Buffalo, Physical Therapy; $8,000 to Kaitlyn Deierlein,
University of Rhode Island, Pre-Medical Psychology; $8,000 to Zane Edleman, Case Western Reserve University, Engineering; and $8,000 to Joshua Pandolfo, Southeastern University, Biblical Studies and Finance. 

The Association was formed over 100 years ago by Albert J. Akin, a Pawling benefactor, who provided the Akin Free Library building and an endowment to promote and preserve the history, culture, spiritual roots, and educational opportunities in the local area.  The applications submitted were evaluated on their academic achievements, school and community activities, leadership experience, and volunteer service, along with weighted ranking on their personal essays on community service. The Committee selected five students to be interviewed.  Their individual scholarship awards were based on those interviews and financial need after considering their current financial aid and scholarship grants.

In addition, the following four students were honored with $1,500 Merit awards towards their upcoming college expenses at their chosen institutions: Emily Arrick, Siena College; James Fanuele, Northeastern University; Michael Leahy, SUNY Oneonta; and Sara Rivera, Rochester Institute of Technology.

The Scholarship Committee members are Akin Hall Association President Liz Allen, Scholarship Chair Betsy Brockway, Glenn Carey, Susan Daniels, Ed Lynn, Stan Scherer, Dorian Winslow and Karen Zukowski.