Vantagepoint Scholarship Fund Awardees Honored at DC Event
At a dinner in their honor, 13 recipients of the Vantagepoint Public Employee Memorial Scholarship Fund heard a nationally renowned police chief comfort them in the knowledge that their educational pursuit “fulfills the legacy” of those who died serving the public.
Terrance W. Gainer, US Capitol Police, Chief of Police (ret.), was the keynote speaker at the June 22 event at Union Station in Washington, DC, where the 32 awardees for the 2006-2007 school year were announced.
“These fallen heroes will have proven to have led a good life if their survivors continue their legacy through education,” said Gainer, a third-generation public employee. “The Vantagepoint Memorial Scholarship Fund helps the recipients do just that.”
A total of $90,000 in scholarships were awarded at the special dinner, sponsored by ICMA-RC.
With this year’s awards, the Fund has provided 119 students with $430,000 in scholarships since the program’s inception in 2001. The Fund is a Section 501(c)(3) public charity.
“We believe there’s no better cause than to help survivors of public service employees who lost their lives serving the community,” said Joan McCallen, president of the Fund and CEO and president of ICMA-RC. “These scholarships will allow them to pursue their education and help rebuild their lives after such a tragic loss.”
2005 and 2006 Vantagepoint Memorial Scholarship recipients who attended the Annual Award Dinner in Washington, D.C. with ICMA-RC President and CEO Joan McCallen and keynote speaker Terrance Gainer, former United States Capitol Police, Chief of Police (standing L to R): Joan McCallen, Natasha Palmer, Gina Vinecourt, Melea Wilson, Timothy Salvadori, Renee Dunham, Meghan LaPiedra, Shannon LaPiedra, Terrance Gainer; (sitting L to R) Kimberly Dingwall, Scott Hesterberg, Hannah Hudson, Michelle Cunha, Jessica Giacomelli, Maureen Cavalieri.
ICMA-RC founded the Vantagepoint Public Employee Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2001 to honor the sacrifice of public sector employees who gave so much to their communities and who paid the ultimate price for their service, by adding greater security through education scholarships for their survivors.
Scholarship recipients are identified through a variety of sources, including participating employers of ICMA-RC, the National Fraternal Order of Police, the National Fallen Fighters Foundation, Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc., and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators.
Applications for the 2007/2008 school year will be accepted from January 1 through March 31, 2007. Additional information about the Fund and this year’s recipients can be found by visiting www.vantagescholar.org.