Got sisu?
Scholarship
In honor of Dr. Pesola's life and values, the Dr. Thomas N. Pesola Memorial Scholarship fund will provide scholarships to Massachusetts residents who are:
The amount of the scholarship will be based on the quality of the applicants and their demonstrated financial need, and the amount of income generated by the fund. The minimum award will be $1,000.
Criteria
Criteria for workshops, camps and research fellowships will be forthcoming. Applicants seeking further education must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to qualify for the scholarship:
Essay Topic
"Sisu" is a Finnish term that translates roughly to "fortitude" or "perseverance." This theme characterized Dr. Pesola's life, as he faced adversity in various forms throughout his life--medical, personal, and financial--and turned the challenges into opportunities for growth. In an essay of no more than 500 words, demonstrate that you have "sisu." What is the greatest challenge that you have faced thus far? How did you respond to this obstacle? What did you learn from the experience?
Letters of Recommendation
Please submit two letters of recommendation with your scholarship application. These letters could be the same as those included with your college application, or your recommenders might comment specifically on how you demonstrate "sisu."
Note: We advise applicants to spend some time on the website learning about who Dr. Pesola was before completing the essay and submitting their application.
Deadline: The scholarship deadline for 2010 has passed, and applications are now under review. If you applied, you will be notified by April 18 if the committee has deemed you a finalist.
- seeking further education;
- attending diabetes-related education workshops or children's camps; and/or
- completing diabetes research fellowships.
The amount of the scholarship will be based on the quality of the applicants and their demonstrated financial need, and the amount of income generated by the fund. The minimum award will be $1,000.
Criteria
Criteria for workshops, camps and research fellowships will be forthcoming. Applicants seeking further education must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to qualify for the scholarship:
- Attendance at/graduation from a Massachusetts high school;
- Minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (through first semester of senior year);
- Demonstrated involvement in extracurricular activities (sports, student clubs, community service, etc.);
- Completed application form, including essay and letters of recommendation.
Essay Topic
"Sisu" is a Finnish term that translates roughly to "fortitude" or "perseverance." This theme characterized Dr. Pesola's life, as he faced adversity in various forms throughout his life--medical, personal, and financial--and turned the challenges into opportunities for growth. In an essay of no more than 500 words, demonstrate that you have "sisu." What is the greatest challenge that you have faced thus far? How did you respond to this obstacle? What did you learn from the experience?
Letters of Recommendation
Please submit two letters of recommendation with your scholarship application. These letters could be the same as those included with your college application, or your recommenders might comment specifically on how you demonstrate "sisu."
Note: We advise applicants to spend some time on the website learning about who Dr. Pesola was before completing the essay and submitting their application.
Deadline: The scholarship deadline for 2010 has passed, and applications are now under review. If you applied, you will be notified by April 18 if the committee has deemed you a finalist.
Scholarship Committee Members
The scholarship committee will decide how to disperse the awards. The 2009-2010 committee consists of the following people:
Ms. Joan Pesola
Ms. Kirstin Pesola-McEachern
Ms. Kara Pesola
Mr. Brendan McEachern
Mr. Scott Booth
Mr. James Beaulieu
Ms. Patricia Chisholm
Dr. Louis Devito
Ms. Jenna Hebert
Dr. Colleen Kigin
Dr. Arthur Schwartz
Mr. Joseph Tevald
Ms. Joan Pesola
Ms. Kirstin Pesola-McEachern
Ms. Kara Pesola
Mr. Brendan McEachern
Mr. Scott Booth
Mr. James Beaulieu
Ms. Patricia Chisholm
Dr. Louis Devito
Ms. Jenna Hebert
Dr. Colleen Kigin
Dr. Arthur Schwartz
Mr. Joseph Tevald