Amanda J. Mierzwa Memorial Fund Announces 2021 Scholarship Winners

(June 1, 2021 11:44 AM)  The Amanda J. Mierzwa Memorial Fund today announced its 2021 scholarship winners – ten outstanding young women from Jackson County high schools. 

• Karsen McCord, a 2018 graduate of Lumen Christi is awarded a $1,750 renewal scholarship. 
• Madison Maynard, a 2018 graduate of Grass Lake is awarded a $1,750 renewal scholarship. 
• Phoebe Miller, a 2018 graduate of Grass Lake is awarded a $1,750 renewal scholarship. 
• Olivia Rodriguez, a 2018 graduate of Western is awarded a $1,750 renewal scholarship. 
• Zoe Dotts-Brown, a 2020 graduate of Grass Lake is awarded a $1000 renewal scholarship. 
• Sophie Covalle, a 2020 graduate of Jackson High is awarded a $1000 renewal scholarship. 
• Eleanor Durkee, a 2020 graduate of Grass Lake is awarded a $1000 renewal scholarship. 
• Srinithi Kanakam, a 2021 graduate of Jackson High is awarded a $1000 scholarship. 
• Kaelin Schiffer, a 2021 graduate of Jackson High is awarded a $750 scholarship. 
• Lindsey Stiles, a 2021 graduate of Columbia Central is awarded a $500 scholarship. 

The fund, established in 2017, is in memory of a beloved woman and brilliant scientist, Amanda Mierzwa, who was raised and educated in Jackson County (Western School District) before heading off to the University of Michigan for her bachelor’s degree in biology, then earning her master’s degree and PhD from the New York University School of Medicine, and launching a successful career in neuroscience at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Sadly, Ms. Mierzwa passed away in 2015 at age 34 from triple negative breast cancer. 

Scholarships are awarded annually to one or more female graduates of a Jackson County, Michigan high school who are majoring in a STEM discipline at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. As a general guideline, recipients will have demonstrated excellent performance in their academic career as well as participation in activities contributing to the betterment of society. 

With these awards, a total of 38 scholarships totaling $41,000 have been awarded to date.