LINCOLNSHIRE, IL — The Board of Trustees of the Selected Educational Trust is proud to announce the recipients of the Selected Educational Trust 2021 Fall Cycle Second-Career Scholarship Program sponsored by Ring Ring Marketing. And the winners are:
- Edy Ballard attending Vincennes University, Vincennes, IN
- Dana Santapaola attending American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service (AAMI), New York, NY
There were so many excellent candidates in this cycle that the Board of Trustees elected to establish a Memorial Scholarship, funded by memorial contributions received in 2021. The recipient of this memorial scholarship is:
- Alyssa Rizzo attending Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Wheeling, IL
“It is the greatest fulfillment of the Trust’s mission, when we can continue to provide financial support in the form of educational scholarships to such deserving young professionals.” said Stefanie Favia, Senior Director of Development with the Selected Educational Trust. Each award recipient receives $1,500 towards their Mortuary Science tuition and fees. “We also want to thank Welton Hong of Ring Ring Marketing for his continued support and generosity in sponsoring this scholarship program.” continued Favia. “Without their support, these scholarships would not have been possible.
When asked what this scholarship meant to her, Edy Ballard responded, “I am humbled beyond words and delighted to accept this Second-Career Scholarship. There is no more sacred trust than serving families during their time of greatest loss and need, and it will be an honor to serve this profession and the families of central Indiana. I don’t regret for one minute that I started on this journey ‘a little late,’ because I believe my experience as a nurse (as well as my life experience) will make me a better funeral director now than I would have been at another point in my life.”
According to Favia, “Many students entering this profession as a second-career are often mature adults with families and careers. But their personal goals include pursuing a career that is more fulfilling and satisfying than what they are currently doing. Scholarship funds are often not available to these second-career students. The Trust created this scholarship program specifically for individuals like Edy, Dana and Alyssa. They are making a change in their career and, as such, will be change-makers in this profession.”
About Selected Educational Trust
The mission of the Selected Educational Trust (www.selectedtrust.org) is to provide the best educational opportunities for the advancement and support of all who work within the independent funeral service profession. To fulfill this mission, the Trust provides programs which offer scholarships to mortuary science students and funeral service professionals, education programs serving to bridge the gap between school and on-the-job training through its Institute for Exceptional Funeral Service (www.funeral-institute.org) and networking and employment opportunities through its Workforce Development Centers.
