Hertberg Family Foundation Scholarship Available For NHS Students

By Eliza Hallabeck, The Newtown Bee

NEWTOWN Scholarship Association President John Morlock, left and Lin Hertberg, of the founders of the Hertberg Family Foundation Scholarship, stand together at The Newtown Bee. -Bee Photo, Hallabeck

Since its creation in 2018, the $10,000 Hertberg Family Foundation Scholarship has helped give local students more options when selecting which college to attend, and the deadline to apply this year is quickly approaching.

Applications are due Friday, March 4, and Lin Hertberg, one of the founders of the scholarship, hopes many students will apply.

The Hertberg Family Foundation Scholarship is one of many scholarships available through the Newtown Scholarship Association (NSA), a 501(c) 3 organization that provides needs-based scholarships.

NSA’s mission, as stated on its website, newtownscholarship.org, is, “to help close the gap between tuition costs and what a student can afford to pay, ensuring that all students — regardless of financial circumstances — can attain a higher education. To date, the organization has awarded over $4.5 million in scholarships to more than 3,000 students.”

“I think it is having a significant impact on the recipients,” Hertberg said in a recent interview. Later he said, “I’ve received so many nice letters about how important it was [from the recipients.]”

NSA President John Morlock explained the Hertberg family created the scholarship to help allow the recipient to attend their dream school with less consideration for the cost.

“That is why it has an earlier deadline than our normal scholarships so that the winner can be determined and notified in advance of making their final decision on what college to attend,” Morlock wrote in an e-mail. “It also has more criteria, such as an additional essay and that applicants must demonstrate a strong work ethic, community service, and academic excellence. In looking back at the winners, it has achieved the family’s objectives in rewarding one superior candidate by making their top choice of colleges a reality.”

A recent announcement from the Newtown High School College and Career describing how students can apply reads, “The Hertberg Family Foundation Scholarship is available annually to a graduating senior from Newtown. The recipient will receive $10,000 to be applied to their undergraduate college tuition with the opportunity to receive this each of his/her four years in college.

“This is a need-based scholarship for a student who also has an exemplary work ethic, integrity, and a positive mental attitude, and is highly motivated and goal oriented. Applications are due Friday, March 4. Applications are available on the NSA website, newtownscholarship.org, through Naviance online, or on the NHS Scholarship Padlet online.”

Hertberg said being able to award the scholarship has been “very meaningful.” It has made a difference in the lives of the recipients. Past recipients are Madeleine Albee, who chose to attend the University of Maryland; Sienna Cummings, who chose to attend the University of Virginia; Colton Procaccini, who chose to attend the University of New England; and Ashlynn Kirrane, who chose to attend Johnson and Wales University.

“All of them are doing very well in school,” Hertberg said, adding that all of the recipients have stayed in contact.

And he is hoping the scholarship will mean helping this year’s recipient similarly.

Regarding NSA, Morlock said, “The Newtown Scholarship Association has been making a college education more affordable for Newtown residents for 85 years. This is only possible from the generous donations from our community of supporters, including individual such as Lin Hertberg, as well as businesses such as Newtown Savings Bank. We also host two annual fundraisers, a golf outing in June and a dinner gala in the fall. We welcome new supporters to attend these fundraisers or make a donation and create their own scholarship.”

The deadline for NSA’s general scholarship pool is April 1.

“All applications are reviewed to determine candidates’ background, extracurricular activities, financial need, and other life events that could be relative to the decision process,” Morlock wrote. “Our Awards Committee then interviews each candidate and determines the amount of the award they are to receive. We then match the student to a specific named scholarship based on their background and the criteria established for those scholarships.”

For more information about NSA, the Hertberg Family Foundation Scholarship, and other scholarships, see NSA’s website newtownscholarship.org.

Education Reporter Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.