SCHOLARSHIPS
Each year since 1914, high school students who reside and attend school in Litchfield County have been granted scholarships to enroll in a college or university. It is estimated that from the beginning thousands of students have benefited from this scholarship program. The Club Scholarship Committee interviews students at various high schools every spring and grants scholarships for their first year of study. Download the Scholarship Application and Instructions.
The amount awarded and number of scholarships will vary from year to year, depending on the income available from the Endowment Fund (currently over 2.2 million dollars) and the number of worthy applicants. In recent years, between 26 and 36 students from 11 or more school districts have received scholarships ranging from $500 to $8,000. About 90% of the awards are given to public school seniors. If a major gift is made to the Club, the opportunity exists for naming a scholarship in memory of a family member or friend.
In 2021, 54 applications were received (a new record high) from 11 high schools. Thirty-three applicants interviewed. A total of $77,000 was awarded to 26 applicants
LCUC awards ranged from $8000 to $1,500 to students from Torrington HS (6), Northwest Regional HS (4), Housatonic Regional HS (4), Litchfield HS (2), Terryville HS (2), New Milford HS (2), Nonnewaug HS (1), Watertown HS (1), Gilbert (1), Shepaug RHS (1), Kent School (1), and the Westover School (1).
Our longstanding and loyal secretary Elaine Barksdale passed away in the spring of 2021. In her obituary her family requested contributions in her memory be made to the LCUC Scholarship Fund. We received just over $1,400 from such bequests. The scholarship Committee decided to use these contributions and the balance of LCUC funds available to send checks of $500 each directly to the top eight academic students that were interviewed. These went to outstanding graduates from Housatonic Valley, Northwest, Nonnewaug, Waterbury, New Milford, Kent, Torrington and Litchfield. Of these eight four also received additional awards from the LCUC funds.
In 2020, of the 36 applications received, six top scholarships of $7,000 were awarded. Those seniors will be attending University of New Haven to study Forensics, Tufts to study Environmental Sciences, RPI to study Computer Sciences, Boston College to study Political Science, University of Rhode Island to study Aquaculture, and Middlebury to study International Relations. Awardees came from all over Litchfield County and were awarded from $6,000 to $500. Applicants came from the following high schools: Litchfield, New Milford, Thomaston, Terryville, Region1-Housatontic, Region 14-Nonnewaug, Region 6-Wamogo, Region 7-Northwestern, Gilbert, Torrington, The Gunnery, and Hotchkiss.
In 2019 the Scholarship Committee received 48 Applications for Scholarships. The Committee met several times in late May and June to interview the 33 students whose applications met the LCUC criteria. Of those interviewed, 30 outstanding students were selected to receive a range of scholarship grants; total scholarships amounting to $72,000. The top Scholarship winners for 2019 were Elisa Afiouni, Kristine Guttierrez, Diana Ieronimo, Brierley Lloyd and Claire Marie Vailionis. These students not only presented a solid academic record but were also deeply involved in their communities and volunteer projects in and out of school. They impressed the Scholarship committee with their energy, poise and personal commitment to their own education. They represent some of the best and brightest students in Litchfield County.