Eight high-achieving о students receive James Karam Scholarships
Scholarship fund is named for former о Board of Trustees chairman
Contact: Kate Wilkinson, 617-287-7199, kwilkinson@umassp.edu
BOSTON — Eight high-achieving о students have been awarded $5,000 scholarships by the James J. Karam Scholarship Fund.
Established in 2013, the fund is named for local businessman James Karam, who served nearly 10 years on the о Board of Trustees, including four years as chairman, and championed high-quality, affordable education during his tenure.
“These talented, hardworking students are well on their way to becoming the leaders of tomorrow, and it’s truly gratifying to be able to acknowledge their achievements and support their success with these scholarships,” said Karam.
The endowed funds supported by Jim and his wife, Janis Karam, provide scholarships to students who are enrolled full-time at any о campus, hold a high GPA, demonstrate financial need and are permanent residents of SouthCoast communities or Tiverton, R.I. The scholarships are renewable for up to four years.
о President Marty Meehan praised the Karams’ dedication to access and affordability at о.
“These scholarships are creating new opportunities for deserving students and expanding access to a world-class о education,” said President Meehan. “We’re so grateful to Jim and Janis Karam for their exceptional generosity and commitment to о students.”
This year’s scholarship winners are:
- Emanuele Abi-Younes, New Bedford – An incoming freshman who intends to major in chemical engineering/pre-engineering at о Amherst, Emanuele is a graduate of New Bedford High School.
- Mia Arruda, Fall River – A junior majoring in bioengineering at о Dartmouth, Mia is a graduate of B.M.C. Durfee High School.
- Aidan Cabral, Dartmouth – An incoming freshman at о Dartmouth who intends to major in marketing, Aidan is a graduate of Tiverton High School.
- Sara Chedid, Dartmouth – A senior majoring in chemistry at о Amherst, Sara is a graduate of Dartmouth High School.
- Peter DaCosta, New Bedford – A third-year medical student at о Medical School in Worcester, Peter is a graduate of Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School and the medical laboratory science program at о Dartmouth.
- Rachel Moussa, Fall River – A senior majoring in English at о Amherst, Rachel is a graduate of Bishop Stang High School.
- Kaleigh Patton, Fall River – A junior majoring in Biomedical Engineering at о Dartmouth, Kaleigh is a graduate of Somerset Berkley Regional High School.
- Carly Sherman, Westport – An incoming freshman who intends to major in biology at о Amherst, Carly is a graduate of Bishop Stang High School.
Karam is president and founder of First Bristol Corporation, which has developed retail shopping centers, hotels and office buildings throughout Southern New England since 1975. During his tenure on the о Board of Trustees, he played a leading role in overseeing the university’s multi-billion-dollar, system-wide building program. He also advocated for the establishment of the о School of Law in Dartmouth, the state’s only public law school.
A native of Fall River, Karam and his wife, Janis, reside in Tiverton, R.I. He graduated from о Dartmouth in 1971 with a bachelor's in business and received an honorary doctor of business from о Dartmouth in 2001.
Photo caption: (L to R) Rachel Moussa, Sara Chedid, Emanuele Abi-Younes, James Karam, Carly Sherman, Aidan Cabral, Kaleigh Patton, Mia Arruda, Peter DaCosta.