The Marisa Tufaro Foundation is proud to announce it has received a single-year record number of applications for its annual Greater Middlesex Conference Student-Athlete and Marisa Tufaro Memorial Community Service scholarships.

Despite rigorous application requirements – including the submission of a personal essay, two letters of recommendation, meeting a minimum GPA threshold, and the demonstration of having assisted Middlesex County children in need through community service – eligible students applied in unprecedented fashion.

Our scholarship selection committee, which over the last eight years has awarded a total of $36,500 in academic scholarships to 50 deserving high school seniors, faces its most daunting challenge to date.

As impressive in quality as they were vast in quantity, the pool of candidates represents more than a third of the conference’s member schools (public, parochial, and private) with several schools boasting multiple applicants. Reflecting their diversity, our Greater Middlesex Conference Student-Athlete Scholarship candidates collectively competed in nearly half of the total number of girls and boys sports the league sanctions.

The record interest reflects growing support for our foundation’s mission and the lasting impact of Marisa’s inspirational life and medical journey, which resonated with applicants. Through their outstanding essays, many applicants demonstrated a deep understanding of all that Marisa endured, with some courageously sharing their own personal challenges and triumphs.

We are incredibly honored to receive such an overwhelming response to our call for scholarship applications. The outpouring truly means the world to us and the scholarships, which our benevolent donors help fund through their incredibly generous contributions, are a fitting way to keep alive Marisa’s indomitable spirit.

Each student applicant not only excelled in the classroom, in the community, or in interscholastic athletic competition, but pursued his or her goals with passion, integrity, character, and respect for others. They are all winners.

For more information about The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s scholarship programs and to read stories about past recipients, please visit https://marisatufarofoundation.org/scholarships/

This year’s scholarship recipients will be announced later this month.