Florida Catholic | Students Win Scholarships For Their Future Education

Students win scholarships for their future education

The awards are named for a well–respected Jesuit priest who spent his final years in Tallahassee.

KIMBERLY KITCHEN | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 04.18.08

TALLAHASSEE | Trinity Catholic School fifth- through eighth-grade students joined their proud parents in Blessed Sacrament Church’s parish hall recently to hear who would be honored with $500 scholarships for their future education. Msgr. Michael Tugwell, rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, welcomed the students to the ceremony and discussed the impact the Father J. Franklin Murray Scholarship Awards have in Tallahassee.

Awarded annually since 1980, the scholarships recognize one student each in seventh and eighth grades who demonstrate academic excellence. Msgr. William Kerr, the former rector of the co-cathedral and current executive director of the Claude Pepper Center for Intercultural Dialogue at Florida State University, established the awards in memory of Father Murray, a Jesuit priest who spent his final years in Tallahassee serving at the co-cathedral. Father Murray died in 1979. Students may use the awards in any academic manner they choose, including tuition, travel, books, computer technology, art supplies or other educational materials.

During his time in Tallahassee, Father Murray told students to “Be yourself. Have the freedom, the courage and the genuinely honest spirit of inquiry. Don’t follow in my footsteps. Make your own.”

The 2008 recipients are eighth-grader Brian Bowden and seventh-grader Caitlin Lee Switalski. Melissa Hollis, chairwoman of the selection committee, said that the winners are “intelligent, thoughtful and faithful students who represent Trinity well. Father Murray would be proud of their achievements.”

Brian hopes his interest in volunteerism will carry him through life. In his essay, he expressed interest in the quality of life for foster children. “Maybe someday,” he wrote, “I will be able to start an organization that helps people in need.” Right now, Brian stays busy with a local swim team, the Trinity basketball team and a cycling team.

Caitlin draws strength for her future from the death of a beloved friend and classmate earlier this year. Her essay describes the experience of losing someone close not only as something sad, but also a celebration of a life that was full of Jesus’ presence. Caitlin baby-sits regularly when she’s not involved with family and school.

The winners are both actively involved in the National Junior Honor Society chapter at Trinity and in different ministries at Good Shepherd Parish.

Jan Gendusa, Trinity principal, said that students look forward each year to the Father Murray Scholarship award, in part because they have input into the process. “We encourage peer nominations and the students write essays about their classmates to nominate them. This both allows them to give input and to express their respect for each other. It really makes it a great honor to be a finalist or to win one of the awards. We begin early in the school year and the students look at it as something very desirable to achieve.”

As part of the selection process, Brian and Caitlin, along with seven other finalists, were interviewed by the selection committee. Other finalists were Stephen Friderickson, Natalia Rodriguez, Hannah Bailey, Rachel Serio, Sarah Emmanuel, Quinn Rainer and Emily Kroll. They each received a $25 award.

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Students win scholarships for their future education

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