Rino Nori University Scholarship

For FWSIM members and their university-enrolled children: We're proud to announce the Rino Nori University Scholarship, offering a $2,500 award to support studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math. This exclusive opportunity is part of our ongoing commitment to foster academic excellence and nurture the next generation in technology and related fields. As a benefit to our members and their families, this scholarship not only provides financial assistance but also celebrates the dedication and potential of young minds embarking on a journey in these pivotal disciplines. 

For FWSIM members and their university-enrolled children: Fairfield/Westchester Society for Information Management (FWSIM) is once again sponsoring our annual Rino Nori University Scholarship with the winner receiving a $2500 award toward their further education in STEM or related fields. 

Established in 2014, this program provides an exclusive opportunity to our membership and is part of our ongoing commitment to foster academic excellence and nurture the next generation in technology and related fields. As a benefit to our members and their families, this scholarship not only provides financial assistance but also celebrates the dedication and potential of young minds embarking on a journey in these pivotal disciplines. 

All qualifying members and their children are invited to apply for this scholarship.  

We are continually striving to enhance the value and relevance of this program, and welcome any suggestions from our members on how it can be further improved. 

Detailed instructions and Q&A are below:

How Much? Award Amount is $2,500 Annually

When to Submit? All applications must be received between January 1st, 2025, and January 31, 2025 EST

How will it be announced? All applicants will be notified of the results in March or April.  The winning FWSIM member or parent should attend the meeting in which the award is presented if possible, however it is not required.

Who is eligible? – all below criteria must be met:

• FWSIM Member in good standing or their child (no AR balances)

• Actively enrolled college student (p/t or f/t) having:

• achieved at least 45 total college credits

• Intending to pursue their first Bachelor degree in any of the areas of STEM (including MIS/computer related).

• Applicant must not have won this “FWSIM” award

How and what to submit? – all qualifying submissions must have the following 3 components:

• Application: Completed application CLICK HERE

• Transcript: Legible and complete copy of college transcript as of December 31st , 2024 showing a cumulative GPA and credit qualifications

• Essay: Attachment of 1,500-2,500 word essay on topic:
  “Preparing for Future STEM Careers: Technological advancements are transforming careers, especially in STEM. Reflect on the skills and learning strategies you are developing to succeed in future roles, including those that don't yet exist. How are you using tools like GenAI to enhance your learning without compromising foundational understanding? Discuss how you are preparing to adapt to these changes and how your how your academic and extracurricular experiences are equipping you to meet the challenges and opportunities of these emerging careers." 

All three required components must be emailed to David Colville (dcolville3@gmail.com), Stephanie Crowe (stephaniecrowe.fwsim@gmail.com), and Anna Ransley  (anna@ranetix.com) within the submission timeframe listed above, with a cc to the sponsoring FWSIM member. 

If the applicant does not receive an email confirmation of submission receipt, they must contact Stephanie as soon as possible to prevent submissions from being filtered by spam or other filters.

How is a winner selected?  - FWSIM members will evaluate and rank the essays; the award will be based upon GPA (on a 4.0 basis) and essay ranking.  In case of a tie the award will be shared among the winners.

What if I have more questions?  Please reach out to David Colville (dcolville3@gmail.com), Stephanie Crowe (stephaniecrowe.fwsim@gmail.com), or Anna Ransley  (anna@ranetix.com)  if you have any questions.

Winners:

2023 – Olivia Panos

Olivia (Liv) Panos is the daughter of our long time FWSIM board member, Jim Panos, the CIO at Central National Gottesman Inc. Liv is a first year student at Colorado College, planning to major in Neuroscience. She hopes to research mental health, and intends to bring a humanitarian perspective into the medical industry surrounding the treatment of mental illness, particularly in children. When she is not studying the brain, she loves the outdoors, especially hiking, mountaineering, and snowboarding. She is a trip leader for her school's Outdoor Education Department and is working on getting her Wilderness First Responder certification.

2023 – Katherine Rubich

Katherine (Kate) Rubich is the daughter of FWSIM member Steve Rubich. Kate is attending Colgate University in pursuit of an environmental Economics degree. Kate has always had a passion for STEM and is applying her love of math and the environment to create a sustainable future for our society.

2022 – Aundrea Lagana

Aundrea Lagana is the daughter of FWSIM member Matt Lagana.  At the time of receiving the scholarship, Aundrea was a second semester nursing student at Keiser University pursuing an accelerated bachelors degree in Nursing. Her goal is to attend graduate school after getting her RN license to become a Surgical Nurse Practitioner.
In addition to being a full time student, Aundrea works part time as a Veterinary Technician at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast on their surgery team, where her interest in the operating room sparked.

2021 – Matthew Lagana

Matthew Lagana is the son of FWSIM member Matt Lagana. At the time of receiving the scholarship Matthew was a sophomore at Florida State University, where he was majoring in their Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences program. His goal is to have a successful career in the field of medicine. In addition, he is an avid golfer and former captain of his high school golf team.

The following summer, Matthew was planning on doing an internship with Peak Wellness, Inc. in Greenwich, CT, where he was learning about the latest innovations in wellness-based medicine.