Thanks to a generous $1.7 million bequest from the estate and trust of deceased member Betty Y. Heaston, UCT was able to establish the UCT Heaston Scholarship Program, which has funded three scholarships for four years each (a total of $48,000) in the Heaston name every year since 2014.
A major criterion for the scholarships is for applicants to show evidence of hard work and overcoming obstacles to achieve their goals. Applicants need to discuss their academic careers and extracurricular activities, and provide examples of hard work, challenges they have had to face, and persistence in the face of adversity. Examples of commitment to community service are also required.
The Heaston Scholarship Program review committee has read hundreds of essays over the years detailing life-altering illnesses, accidents, and events from students applying for one of the three scholarships. Committee members have found the resilience and determination of these students admirable and heartbreaking at the same time. It’s never easy to select just three individuals to receive scholarships each year, but the committee manages to do it. Here are this year’s award recipients:
Riley Barwidi
The Jack & Betty Heaston Memorial Scholarship - $6,000 each year for four years
Riley is a graduate of Nordonia High School in Macedonia, Ohio. In addition to being a four-year letter winner in volleyball and track, class vice president, and accumulating over 250 service hours, her GPA never fell below a 4.0. Growing up Riley struggled with reading and spelling and when she moved schools in 2nd grade it was apparent that she was way behind her peers. Through dedication and hard work, she not only caught up with her peers, she set a goal to finish in the top 10% of her graduating class. This spring she accomplished that goal and was invited to the Superintendent's awards dinner to be recognized for her hard work. Her work ethic carries over to all areas of her academics and athletics. She enjoys helping her peers with disabilities and is excited to begin her journey to become a Special Education teacher as she enters The Ohio State University in the fall of 2025.
Rishi Dhanasekaran
The Betty Y. Heaston Memorial Scholarship - $3,000 each year for four years
Rishi Dhanasekaran, a recent graduate of Souderton Area High School in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and a first-generation American with a strong commitment to leadership, service, and lifelong learning. During high school, he was a Distinguished Honor Roll student and worked hard to balance academics with a variety of extracurricular activities. Rishi served as captain of the varsity tennis team, co-president of the Academic Challenge Team, and a Pathway Ambassador. As a member of the National Honor Society, Rishi has been involved in several community service activities - volunteering at food drives, tutoring students, helping organize youth sports camps and cultural events, and raising funds for ALS and childhood cancer foundations. His experience as a caregiver for his terminally ill mother has shaped his sense of empathy and purpose in profound ways. With a deep passion for STEM, Rishi will be pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech this fall, with plans to attend medical school and specialize in neurodegenerative diseases. Rishi is excited to continue growing through learning and service, using science and innovation to improve lives.
Charles Gagne
The Jack Heaston Memorial Scholarship - $3,000 each year for four years
Charles Gagne is a recent graduate of Wakefield Memorial High School in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Charles will be attending Boston College in the fall of 2025. At Boston College, he plans to study finance in the Carroll School of Management, and he will be in a philosophy/theology program that requires 12 hours of community service per week. Charles has worked on numerous charitable projects since elementary school and has learned so much from these undertakings, he is happy to be able to carry on this type of service in college. Another one of his passions is sports. Over the years, he has played soccer, basketball, baseball, flag football and tennis and was a three-sport athlete throughout high school, serving as his soccer team's captain last fall. Charles has worked hard to bring his teams together, hosting and organizing many gatherings, such as pasta parties and backyard wiffle ball games. He has recently helped to start a summer basketball league for high school graduates so that they can stay connected to the sport, and he just joined a men's summer baseball league. Charles plans to continue sports and will play intramural sports and possibly club soccer at Boston College. He also enjoys hosting and organizing activities such as card games, trips to the beach, cooking competitions, backyard fires, and more. Since age six, Charles has been diagnosed with a tic disorder which at times has been quite painful and uncomfortable, but he has been fortunate to have the support of a loving family and community that has helped him reach his potential. Charles is extremely honored to have been chosen for the UCT Charities Heaston Scholarship and is grateful for the funds that will help with his college tuition.
Congratulations to Riley, Rishi and Charles! Best of luck in your endeavors.
The deadline for scholarship applications each year is March 15. Scholarships are awarded to students with the equivalent of high school senior status. Students must be enrolled and entering a college program in the coming academic year. All funds disbursed are to be used for school-related expenses and are sent directly to the college/university.
The UCT Heaston Scholarship Program Application & Guidelines are available for download at www.uctna.org. For more details contact David Van Order at dvanorder@uctnorthamerica.org.