SMMA Grants Scholarships to Five High School Seniors

May 9, 2018

The SMMA Fund has selected five high school seniors as the firm’s 2018 scholarship recipients.

The Fund, which was established in 2010 by the directors of SMMA, serves the many communities in which it has designed high school facilities. Through providing financial assistance to seniors who are pursuing careers in design-related fields, SMMA honors the built environment and higher education. Since 2011, members of the Scholarship Selection Committee have awarded a total of 34 college scholarships to students concentrating in architecture, engineering, and related disciplines.

“We [The Committee] were very impressed by this year’s student leadership, represented both by school activities and volunteer involvement,” expressed Heather McCormack, Senior Associate and Director of Administration. “Their academics were also phenomenal.”

This year's recipients, alongside their respective schools and majors, are as follows:

  • Lara Varjabedian, Bedford HS - Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Civil and Environmental Engineering

  • Brandon Winn, Tewksbury HS - Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Civil Engineering 

  • Maggie Appel, Hudson HS – Roger Williams University; Architecture

  • Natyana Fonseca, Bridgewater-Raynham HS – Rhode Island School of Design; Interior Design

  • Veronica Verdini, Lynn Classical HS - Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Architecture

The future of The Fund continues to grow as SMMA designs and develops more high schools across the region. Principal and Senior Vice President Marie Fitzgerald shared proud words about SMMA's student involvement: “I love the diversity that The Fund brings us. This year’s winners boast a variety of majors, concentrations, and personal pursuits. We’ve also recently noticed a more equal men-to-women ratio in our applicants. It’s truly exciting to see that STEM has started to reach students of all backgrounds.”