Berkshire Bank has announced that it has selected 30 high school seniors to receive a total of $45,000 in scholarships through its Berkshire Bank Foundation Scholarship Awards Program. Each of the recipients will receive $1,500.
A team of 200 Berkshire Bank employee volunteers reviewed nearly 300 applications to select the winners. The winners all reside in the regions served by Berkshire Bank, including communities in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.
The Vermont recipients were all surprised with their scholarship awards in early May by Bank employees at their respective High Schools. This year’s recipients include:
· Chloe Burkett- Burr and Burton Academy
· Tessa Roberts - Burr and Burton Academy
· Nidhi Purohit- Rutland Senior High School
The scholarship awards recognize students that have exemplified community service through their volunteer efforts, have been successful academically and have a financial need. The program highlights the Foundation’s support for education and the Bank’s commitment to promote volunteerism in the community.
Lori Gazzillo, Vice President and Director of Berkshire Bank Foundation said, “We are proud to grant these scholarships to so many high school seniors that share in our passion and commitment to give back to the community. With the increasing cost and importance of a college education, we want to do our part to help deserving students achieve their dreams.”
Just as these scholarship recipients play an active role in their communities, Berkshire Bank encourages its employees to play an active role in theirs, through XTEAM®, their nationally acclaimed Employee Volunteer Program. Last year, more than 70% of the Bank’s employees participated in the program, which provides paid time off for employees to volunteer at company-supported projects during regular business hours. As a result, employees donated over 40,000 hours of volunteer service in 2015 alone. Berkshire Bank believes that promoting volunteerism at an early age will benefit both the volunteers and communities and will hopefully lead to on-going community involvement.
Through foundation grants to nonprofits, scholarships to students, environmental programs, and employee volunteerism, Berkshire Bank is making a difference. Each year the Foundations donate over $1.8 million to nonprofits in the Bank’s footprint and employees provide over 40,000 hours of volunteer service. In 2015, Berkshire Bank was named one of Massachusetts’ Most Charitable Companies by the Boston Business Journal. This year, Berkshire Bank and NESN are teaming up to raise $50,000 for Habitat for Humanity by donating funds to the Hockey 4 Housing campaign each time the Boston Bruins achieved a penalty kill.