2015 Frank Minolli Engineering and Science Award Recipients Announced
Now In Third Year, Award Supports Michigan Female High School Students
ANN ARBOR, MI, April 16, 2015 – The Joyce Ivy Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the academic advancement of high-potential female high school students from the Midwest, recently announced the names of eighty-one young women receiving 2015 summer scholarships for pre-college study at highly selective colleges and universities. From the group of 2015 Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars, four Scholars have been selected by the Frank Minolli Foundation to receive the Frank Minolli Engineering and Science Award. This is the greatest number of award recipients named in a single year since the award was established in 2013. The 2015 recipients include, Lauren Ehehalt (University Liggett School), Sarah Gerendesy (Bloomfield Hills High School), Rae Peterson (Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School), and Priya Pokorzynski (Alpena High School).
Now in its third year, the partnership between the Joyce Ivy Foundation and the Frank Minolli Foundation is unique in its support of female high school students from Michigan who have a demonstrated interest in college level study in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). The Minolli family established the award in 2013 to honor the legacy of Frank Minolli, a successful first-generation entrepreneur in Michigan, and his belief in the importance of engineering, science, and technology.
“This year’s summer scholar recipients were chosen from a pool of exceptional candidates,” said Roseann Stevens, President of the Frank Minolli Foundation, and one of four daughters of the late Frank Minolli. “All four winners are outstanding young women who aspire to change the world through science and technology. We are pleased to support their interest in STEM fields and bolster their passion for excellence in education, and we’re confident the summer scholar programs will fuel that passion.”
Lauren Ehehalt, a junior at University Liggett School, is a leader on FIRST Robotics Team #3175. She helps to program the robot, as well as runs the team's website and the Chairman's and Safety Programs, along with other team members. Lauren is the leader of her school's film club, as well as the Assistant Director of her school's fall plays. She volunteers at the Macomb Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Lauren will attend Brown University this summer.
“Before joining FIRST Robotics Team 3175, I was unsure of what I wanted to do in the future,” said Lauren Ehehalt. “My experience with FIRST has shown me what I can do as a female in a STEM field. FIRST has helped me to realize my interest in chemistry, which I plan to pursue as a major in college. I'm so thankful for this scholarship, and I am extremely excited for this opportunity, which will be hugely beneficial in my future.”
Sarah Gerendesy, a junior at Bloomfield Hills High School, is captain of FIRST Robotics Team 2834. She leads the Chairman’s Award sub-team, is a driver, and edits the newsletter. Sarah has received her Bronze and Silver Awards as a Girl Scout of Southeastern Michigan and is currently working on her Gold Award. She works as a math tutor, as well as a teacher’s assistant at her temple. She is a lead counselor-in-training at Hogwarts Summer Camp.
“I am so thankful to be accepted into the Joyce Ivy program,” said Sarah Gerendesy. “My FIRST Robotics team, The Bionic Black Hawks, completely changed my life by showing me the fun side of STEM. Without my team, I never would have realized my passion for math and engineering, which I now plan on pursuing as a career. Just like FIRST did, I am confident that being a Summer Scholar will completely change my perspective on many aspects of my life, and I am honored to be a Joyce Ivy Summer Scholar as well as a Frank Minolli Award winner.”
Priya Pokorzynski, a sophomore at Alpena High School, is a medalist at invitational and regional Science Olympiad tournaments. She competes on the Alpena Varsity Tennis Team, in addition to playing recreational tennis. Priya also plays piano and volunteers with the Library Summer Book Club. Priya will attend Johns Hopkins University this summer.
“I have always been passionate about the STEM fields, and I am extremely honored for the opportunity to discover and pursue these interests with the help of this fantastic scholarship,” said Priya Pokorzynski. “It can be somewhat daunting to enter into a normally male-dominated area of study, so the support provided by the Frank Minolli Foundation and Joyce Ivy Foundation is greatly beneficial and greatly appreciated.”
Rae Peterson, a junior at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, is the captain of her FIRST Robotics team. She is a Dean’s List nominee for 2015 and received the Rookie of the Year Award in 2013. She is a defense attorney with her school’s Mock Trial team, and has served as president of the student council for two years. Rae has received two leadership awards for serving the Class of 2016. She is also a committee chairwoman for the National Honor Society and has participated in Young America Foundation and Daughters of the American Revolution conferences. Rae will attend Brown University this summer.
“It is an honor to receive this scholarship and to represent young women in STEM fields,” said Rae Peterson. “FIRST Robotics has provided me with incredible educational opportunities in engineering and business, and it has revealed a myriad of possibilities. My participation in FRC has exposed me to the wonder and excitement of STEM fields, and it has inspired me to pursue a degree in engineering. I am looking forward to attending courses at prestigious universities this summer, which has been made possible by the Frank Minolli scholarship and the Joyce Ivy Foundation.”
The 2015 Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars are the largest cohort in the Foundation’s ten-year history, selected from the most diverse and academically talented applicant pool to date. Summer Scholars have the opportunity to study at 11 partner colleges and universities: Barnard College, Brown University, Cornell University, Emory University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smith College, Stanford University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Yale University.
About the Frank Minolli Foundation
The Frank Minolli Foundation provides scholarships to support young women in their pursuit of degrees of higher education in the fields of engineering, science, technology and mathematics. The Foundation seeks to foster an interest in these fields and to mentor talented female high school students, encouraging them to pursuit education as a means to make a difference in the world. Funding for the non-profit Foundation is provided by individuals and corporations. For more information visit www.frankminollifoundation.org or contact Virginia Minolli at (248) 594-8100 ext. 10.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Fellow Profile: Christina Li, FMF Scholar '14
Hello! My name is Christina Li. I'm from the Detroit suburbs in Michigan, and I'm a rising high school student attending the Utica Center for Math, Science, and Technology as well as Stevenson High School. I'm very involved in robotics (FRC team #217, the Thunderchickens). In the summer between my sophomore and junior year, thanks to the generous scholarship from the Frank Minolli Foundation, I was able to attend the Summer College quarter of Stanford University (CS106A- Programming Methodologies and CE101S- Problem Solving with MATLAB). For a girl with aspirations in computer science, it was a dream come true to be in Silicon Valley during the summer and it legitimately changed my life. Not only did I succeed in my classes, but I also seized all the chances I could to explore Northern California, from going to normal tourist attractions like Santa Cruz Beach and Muir Woods, to having dinner at major technology companies in the area like Google and Facebook, even to winning a hackathon (Hero Hacks) in San Francisco. Without the Frank Minolli and Joyce Ivy Foundations I would not have had such amazing opportunities.
For Immediate Release
Now In Third Year, Award Supports Michigan Female High School Students
ANN ARBOR, MI, April 16, 2015 – The Joyce Ivy Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the academic advancement of high-potential female high school students from the Midwest, recently announced the names of eighty-one young women receiving 2015 summer scholarships for pre-college study at highly selective colleges and universities. From the group of 2015 Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars, four Scholars have been selected by the Frank Minolli Foundation to receive the Frank Minolli Engineering and Science Award. This is the greatest number of award recipients named in a single year since the award was established in 2013. The 2015 recipients include, Lauren Ehehalt (University Liggett School), Sarah Gerendesy (Bloomfield Hills High School), Rae Peterson (Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School), and Priya Pokorzynski (Alpena High School).
Now in its third year, the partnership between the Joyce Ivy Foundation and the Frank Minolli Foundation is unique in its support of female high school students from Michigan who have a demonstrated interest in college level study in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). The Minolli family established the award in 2013 to honor the legacy of Frank Minolli, a successful first-generation entrepreneur in Michigan, and his belief in the importance of engineering, science, and technology.
“This year’s summer scholar recipients were chosen from a pool of exceptional candidates,” said Roseann Stevens, President of the Frank Minolli Foundation, and one of four daughters of the late Frank Minolli. “All four winners are outstanding young women who aspire to change the world through science and technology. We are pleased to support their interest in STEM fields and bolster their passion for excellence in education, and we’re confident the summer scholar programs will fuel that passion.”
Lauren Ehehalt, a junior at University Liggett School, is a leader on FIRST Robotics Team #3175. She helps to program the robot, as well as runs the team's website and the Chairman's and Safety Programs, along with other team members. Lauren is the leader of her school's film club, as well as the Assistant Director of her school's fall plays. She volunteers at the Macomb Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Lauren will attend Brown University this summer.
“Before joining FIRST Robotics Team 3175, I was unsure of what I wanted to do in the future,” said Lauren Ehehalt. “My experience with FIRST has shown me what I can do as a female in a STEM field. FIRST has helped me to realize my interest in chemistry, which I plan to pursue as a major in college. I'm so thankful for this scholarship, and I am extremely excited for this opportunity, which will be hugely beneficial in my future.”
Sarah Gerendesy, a junior at Bloomfield Hills High School, is captain of FIRST Robotics Team 2834. She leads the Chairman’s Award sub-team, is a driver, and edits the newsletter. Sarah has received her Bronze and Silver Awards as a Girl Scout of Southeastern Michigan and is currently working on her Gold Award. She works as a math tutor, as well as a teacher’s assistant at her temple. She is a lead counselor-in-training at Hogwarts Summer Camp.
“I am so thankful to be accepted into the Joyce Ivy program,” said Sarah Gerendesy. “My FIRST Robotics team, The Bionic Black Hawks, completely changed my life by showing me the fun side of STEM. Without my team, I never would have realized my passion for math and engineering, which I now plan on pursuing as a career. Just like FIRST did, I am confident that being a Summer Scholar will completely change my perspective on many aspects of my life, and I am honored to be a Joyce Ivy Summer Scholar as well as a Frank Minolli Award winner.”
Priya Pokorzynski, a sophomore at Alpena High School, is a medalist at invitational and regional Science Olympiad tournaments. She competes on the Alpena Varsity Tennis Team, in addition to playing recreational tennis. Priya also plays piano and volunteers with the Library Summer Book Club. Priya will attend Johns Hopkins University this summer.
“I have always been passionate about the STEM fields, and I am extremely honored for the opportunity to discover and pursue these interests with the help of this fantastic scholarship,” said Priya Pokorzynski. “It can be somewhat daunting to enter into a normally male-dominated area of study, so the support provided by the Frank Minolli Foundation and Joyce Ivy Foundation is greatly beneficial and greatly appreciated.”
Rae Peterson, a junior at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, is the captain of her FIRST Robotics team. She is a Dean’s List nominee for 2015 and received the Rookie of the Year Award in 2013. She is a defense attorney with her school’s Mock Trial team, and has served as president of the student council for two years. Rae has received two leadership awards for serving the Class of 2016. She is also a committee chairwoman for the National Honor Society and has participated in Young America Foundation and Daughters of the American Revolution conferences. Rae will attend Brown University this summer.
“It is an honor to receive this scholarship and to represent young women in STEM fields,” said Rae Peterson. “FIRST Robotics has provided me with incredible educational opportunities in engineering and business, and it has revealed a myriad of possibilities. My participation in FRC has exposed me to the wonder and excitement of STEM fields, and it has inspired me to pursue a degree in engineering. I am looking forward to attending courses at prestigious universities this summer, which has been made possible by the Frank Minolli scholarship and the Joyce Ivy Foundation.”
The 2015 Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars are the largest cohort in the Foundation’s ten-year history, selected from the most diverse and academically talented applicant pool to date. Summer Scholars have the opportunity to study at 11 partner colleges and universities: Barnard College, Brown University, Cornell University, Emory University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smith College, Stanford University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Yale University.
About the Frank Minolli Foundation
The Frank Minolli Foundation provides scholarships to support young women in their pursuit of degrees of higher education in the fields of engineering, science, technology and mathematics. The Foundation seeks to foster an interest in these fields and to mentor talented female high school students, encouraging them to pursuit education as a means to make a difference in the world. Funding for the non-profit Foundation is provided by individuals and corporations. For more information visit www.frankminollifoundation.org or contact Virginia Minolli at (248) 594-8100 ext. 10.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Fellow Profile: Christina Li, FMF Scholar '14
Hello! My name is Christina Li. I'm from the Detroit suburbs in Michigan, and I'm a rising high school student attending the Utica Center for Math, Science, and Technology as well as Stevenson High School. I'm very involved in robotics (FRC team #217, the Thunderchickens). In the summer between my sophomore and junior year, thanks to the generous scholarship from the Frank Minolli Foundation, I was able to attend the Summer College quarter of Stanford University (CS106A- Programming Methodologies and CE101S- Problem Solving with MATLAB). For a girl with aspirations in computer science, it was a dream come true to be in Silicon Valley during the summer and it legitimately changed my life. Not only did I succeed in my classes, but I also seized all the chances I could to explore Northern California, from going to normal tourist attractions like Santa Cruz Beach and Muir Woods, to having dinner at major technology companies in the area like Google and Facebook, even to winning a hackathon (Hero Hacks) in San Francisco. Without the Frank Minolli and Joyce Ivy Foundations I would not have had such amazing opportunities.
For Immediate Release
Inaugural Frank Minolli Engineering and Science
Award Recipients Announced
New Engineering and Science Award Supports Female High School
Students
ANN ARBOR, MI, May 1, 2013 – The Joyce Ivy Foundation, a non-profit organizationAward Recipients Announced
New Engineering and Science Award Supports Female High School
Students
dedicated to the academic advancement of high-potential female high school students
from the Midwest, recently announced the names of seventy-nine young women
receiving 2013 summer scholarships for pre-college study at highly selective colleges
and universities. From the group of 2013 Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars, three
young women have been selected by the Frank Minolli Foundation as the inaugural
recipients of the Frank Minolli Engineering and Science Award. The recipients include:
Claire Johnson (West Ottawa High School), Bailey Zywicki (Cedar Springs High
School), and Alexis Barker (Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine).
The Frank Minolli Engineering and Science Award, established in 2012 through a
partnership between the Joyce Ivy Foundation and the Frank Minolli Foundation,
supports Summer Scholars with an interest in pursuing higher study in the fields of
science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. The Minolli family established the
award to honor the legacy of Frank Minolli, a successful first-generation entrepreneur
in Michigan, and his belief in the importance of engineering, science, and technology.
“With the slate of well-qualified candidates, it was difficult to choose this year’s award
winners,” said Virginia Minolli, daughter of Frank Minolli and one of four sisters who
founded the Frank Minolli Foundation. “We are thrilled to offer these bright young
women an opportunity to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering and
math in honor and memory of our father, Frank Minolli. We strongly believe that the
summer scholarship experience will enhance and contribute to their future success.”
Claire Johnson, a junior at West Ottawa High School, competes in Science Olympiad
events in Forensics and Thermodynamics. Johnson is also an accomplished musician
and dancer. She received the Michigan Youth Arts Distinguished Scholar Award in
2012 and led the fundraising efforts for the first West Ottawa Mini Dance Marathon that
raised funds for Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Johnson plans to study at Stanford
University this summer. “Science is a bit of a puzzle in the way that it works, and I love the way everything pieces together in the end,” said Claire Johnson. “I hope to learn more chemistry at
Stanford this summer than I would in an AP Chemistry class in high school. I really
love a challenge, and this rigorous program will help me grow as a student and as a
person. I am truly honored to be selected by the Joyce Ivy Foundation and the Minolli
family.”
Bailey Zywicki, a sophomore at Cedar Springs High School, is a founder of her school’s
Science Club. Zywicki is also a two-sport athlete, competing in softball and volleyball,
and an active tutor in her community. She plans to study at Brown University or
Cornell University this summer. “Science and math have always been my strengths in school. They challenge me to think deeper and to analyze things in a more critical way,” said Bailey Zywicki. “I hope
to take advantage of the science coursework during my Summer Scholars program and
learn as much as I can to bring back to my high school. This award is such an honor.”
Alexis Barker, a freshman at the Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine,
is a participant in Future DOcs, a mentorship program for high school students
interested in medical fields, and the Interdenominational Youth Athletic League. Barker
aspires to be a neurosurgeon and plans to study at Smith College or Brown University
this summer. “Science classes are very stimulating to me,” said Alexis Barker. “In addition to my
coursework, I am able to take part in numerous labs, which help me understand the
information with hands on work. Labs in neurology, which focus on the brain, help me
understand human behavior and prepare me for my goal to become a neurosurgeon. I
hope that my Summer Scholars program will give me the opportunity to take part in
challenging science-oriented coursework.”
The 2013 Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars were selected from the largest and
most diverse applicant pool in the Foundation’s eight-year history. Summer Scholars
will study at 11 partner colleges and universities: Harvard University, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, Brown
University, Cornell University, Emory University, New York University, George
Washington University, Smith College and Barnard College.
About The Joyce Ivy Foundation
The Joyce Ivy Foundation seeks to provide exposure, encouragement, counsel, financial assistance, and employment support to young women who have the academic, intellectual, and leadership potential to attend the nation's most selective institutions of higher education. Funding for the Joyce Ivy Foundation is provided by individuals, other foundations, and corporations. In 2013, the Foundation named 79 young women from Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio as Joyce Ivy Scholars, providing scholarships for them to attend summer educational programs at 11 partner colleges and universities. For more information, please visit www.joyceivyfoundation.org or contact the Joyce Ivy Foundation at info@joyceivyfoundation.org or (734) 661-0229.
About the Frank Minolli Foundation
The Frank Minolli Foundation provides scholarships to support young women in their pursuit of degrees of higher education in the fields of engineering, science, technology and mathematics. The Foundation seeks to foster an interest in these fields and to mentor talented female high school students, encouraging them to pursuit education as a means to make a difference in the world. Funding for the non-profit Foundation is provided by individuals and corporations. For more information visit www.frankminollifoundation.org or contact Virginia Minolli at (248) 594-8100 ext. 10.
For Immediate Release
Joyce Ivy Foundation and Frank Minolli Foundation Announce Partnership
New Partnership Will Expand Scholarship Opportunities for Michigan High School Students
ANN ARBOR, MI, October 10, 2012 – The Joyce Ivy Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the academic advancement of high-potential young women, today announced a new partnership with the Frank Minolli Foundation. The Joyce Ivy Foundation is the leading provider of summer academic scholarships in the Midwest, currently operating in Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and South and North Dakota. Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars participated in summer academic programs at 11 partner colleges and universities: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, Brown University, Cornell University, Emory University, New York University, University of Pennsylvania, and Smith College. The Joyce Ivy Foundation will expand the number of Summer Scholars in 2013, in part through new partnerships with other foundations.
The Frank Minolli Foundation was established by the Minolli family to honor the legacy of Frank Minolli, a successful first-generation entrepreneur in Michigan, and his belief in the importance of engineering, science, and technology. The Foundation will sponsor Frank Minolli Engineering and Science Award Recipients in the 2013 Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars cohort.
"We are extremely enthusiastic about this new partnership," said S. Caroline Kerr, CEO of the Joyce Ivy Foundation. "The Summer Scholars program has provided hundreds of talented young women with the opportunity to participate in rigorous summer academic programs. This new partnership with the Frank Minolli Foundation will make possible additional opportunities for young women who will be future leaders and innovators in the fields of science, technology and engineering."
"Michigan is home to an active philanthropic community that values education and invests in its young people. It is also home to great number of talented engineers and scientists," said Virginia Minolli, daughter of Frank Minolli. "Partnering with the Joyce Ivy Foundation allows us to honor our father's legacy and his entrepreneurial spirit through the Joyce Ivy Foundation's established scholarship program and relationships with local high schools and college summer programs."
"This partnership represents a new model for advancing the mission of philanthropists and foundations with a specific interest in creating educational opportunities," said Sherryl A. Fletcher, Executive Vice President of Program Development and Advancement at the Joyce Ivy Foundation. "Through collaboration, we can offer our partners access to an established infrastructure and a system for identifying deserving students. The Minolli Foundation has taken a bold step that will have an immediate impact on the lives of Michigan students."
Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars pursue a range of academic course offerings, including those in the humanities, arts, sciences, engineering and mathematics.