2015 SUCCESS STORIES

Juan Felipe Varela

Merit Grant Winner 

Looking towards my future, I hope to become one of the worlds leading Engineers. I want to work on projects that benefit and help people in need. All of the work that I will do will be for the benefit of mankind, and I hope to keep the values I learned from my soccer teammates and my superiors dear to me. These values I want to express with the world and make it a better place. With the money I receive from this scholarship, I hope to accomplish my goals, and help mankind prosper.


Melissa Bruno-Piverger

Personal Achievement Award Honorable Mention Winner

With the DeSimone scholarship award I am able to save a couple hours of sleep for my hard-working mother. I attend New York University, a prestigious, private and very expensive university — the tuition alone is more than $40k. When the cost of housing, meal plans, student insurance, traveling costs, and books are included it increases to about $70k per year. With such a large sum required it was obvious that I would need to work towards scholarships to lighten my burden. After having the opportunity to be interviewed by Dr. DeSimone I was chosen as an honorable mention in recognition of the scholarship and sequentially received my award. While at the university I plan to study biology and sociology with aspirations towards the pre-dental track. Hopefully after many years as an undergraduate at NYU I can enter in Dental school and acquire the title of “Doctor,” later to open up my own dental practice.

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Taylor Cook

Merit Grant Award Winner

I am proud to receive the Charity for Champions merit award. Swimming has always been a huge part of my life, but I have wanted to be a Firefighter and Paramedic for as long as I can remember. I am excited to begin the education and training that will set me on the path to my dream career. I will dive into my studies with the same desire, dedication, motivation, and discipline instilled by years of competitive swimming. Someday, I hope to serve my community as a Firefighter and Paramedic in a local department. Thank you Doctor DeSimone and Charity for Champions for helping me achieve these dreams.