Since its beginnings in 1955, the Agganis Foundation has handed out well over $1 million in scholarships to male and female student-athletes. On Monday, the foundation announced its 2015 scholarship recipients.
In all, 16 students from the North Shore and Boston will be honored on Sunday morning at 10 when the foundation holds its annual awards ceremony at Manning Field in Lynn. With the addition of this year?s class of recipients, the total amount awarded in scholarships is now $1,688,000 to 911 student-athletes.
Each of the recipients will receive a $1,000 award for each of his or her four years in college. Four of the 16 selected student-athletes will also be honored as Yawkey/Agganis scholarship winners, thanks to a donation from the Yawkey Foundation, which helped co-found the Agganis Foundation following the tragic death of Lynn?s legendary athlete Harry Agganis at the age of 26 in 1955.
At the time of his death Agganis, a multi-sport star at Lynn Classical and Boston University, was the starting first baseman for the Red Sox. He also was drafted by the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League but elected to stay home and play baseball to be closer to his family.
The 2015 Agganis Scholarship recipients include Joe Calnan, of Lynn English, who will be attendingWorcester Polytechnic Institute, Carson Christuk (Bishop Fenwick and Newbury, Brown University), Cynthia Chu (Boston Latin, Boston College), Payton Coutlis (Latin Academy, Harvard), Katie Donnelly (St. Mary?s, Lynn, Merrimack College), Jackie Edgett (Bishop Fenwick, Lynn, WPI), Taylor Ferraro (Lynn Classical, St. Anselm?s College), Fiona Fitzgerald (Boston Latin, Harvard), Sophia Holmes (St. Mary?s, Revere, Boston University), Kristian Hosker (St. John?s Prep, Nahant, Wentworth Institute of Technology), Jon Knee (Lynnfield, Macalester College), Shreyas Kudrimoti (Lynnfield, University of Pennsylvania), Niamh Lang (Swampscott, University of Virginia), Sam Rizzo (Swampscott, Colby College), Guilien Smith (Catholic Memorial, Dartmouth College) and Madison Welch (St. Mary?s, Peabody, Bentley University).
Calnan is the recipient of the Patrick J. McManus Scholarship, named in memory of the former Lynn mayor who is the only person to receive an Agganis Scholarship, play in an Agganis All-Star Classic and serve on the Agganis Foundation?s board of trustees.
Donnelly is the winner of the Edward H. Cahill Scholarship, honoring the former Item sports editor who helped play a significant role in starting the Agganis Foundation.
Ferraro is the recipient of the Michael J. Agganis Scholarship, named for the nephew of Harry Agganis.
Kudrimoti will receive a scholarship funded by Gregory J. Agganis, grandnephew of Harry Agganis.
Hosker will receive the Chairman?s Scholarship, a one-year award.Chu, Coutlis, Smith and Fitzgerald will receive the Yawkey/Agganis Scholarships.