The senior class gift committee of 2019 has been hard at work creating a lasting gift to leave behind when this team of seniors graduates in the spring. The gift that was chosen this year will be the “Living the Dream” scholarship.

The quote “Living the Dream” references Curtis Zimmerman’s motivational talk, “Life at Performance Level,” that all freshman have attended during Welcome Week for the past several years.
Senior Interior Design major Lauren Ostrzyzek came up with the idea for the scholarship to be called “Living the Dream.”

“I feel really honored that my simple idea for a name has turned into a team effort to create our class scholarship that will live on even after we graduate,” Ostrzyzek said. “I also love the fact that I get to share that honor with my fellow committee members as well. I couldn’t ask for anything better. It’s an opportunity I will never forget.”

The idea came about during a meeting when all of the committee was brainstorming potential names for the scholarship.

“I was thinking about something that I felt would really resonate and connect with our class and I thought of ‘Living the Dream’ because it’s something that a lot of people I know still say around campus,” Ostrzyzek said. “I makes me think of all of us as young adults in college are here learning our things we are passionate about, so when we graduate we are prepared to go out and live our own dreams.”

Lindsay Frank, director of alumni engagement, is the advisor of the Senior Class Gift Committee and liaison to the Office of University Advancement.

“I am excited about the name of the scholarship because I too heard the ‘Living the Dream’ message during my freshman orientation 10 years ago in 2008,” Frank said. “I think it’s really great that it still resonates with students and how it is a similar idea to our beloved motto of ‘Carpe Diem.’”

After the name was chosen, the team had to come up with what this scholarship meant and how students could “Live the Dream” while at Mercyhurst.

“Thinking about the quote, it was easy to incorporate internships because they are how we truly test our skills that we learn in college and they give us the first taste of our true passions in the real world and how Mercyhurst will always aid us in going out and being able to live our dreams,” Ostrzyzek said.

Taylor Cavaretta, a senior Early Childhood and Special Education major and the event chair on the Senior Class Gift Committee, is thrilled with the way their scholarship idea turned out.
“ I am very excited about this year’s scholarship,” Cavaretta said. “It is unlike any other financial aid that Mercyhurst has previously offered.”

Cavaretta also wanted to mention some other events that are happening this semester such as the winter Bar Crawl on Dec. 8. The committee will be tabling to allow students who are over 21 to purchase tickets at the following times and locations: Nov. 5, noon to 2 p.m. in the Bookstore; Nov. 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. in Ryan Hall; Nov. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. in Grotto Commons; and Nov. 8 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Bookstore.

The committee is also are hosting a Chipotle fundraiser on Nov. 8 from 4 to 8 p.m. Those who want to be supportive should show the cashier the flier (which will be posted to social media as the event draws near) or simply mention the fundraiser before paying.

Any donations and support will help fund the “Living the Dream” scholarship.