A few weeks ago, the College Planning Center of RI and the RI Student Loan Authority hosted the annual Paul Sherlock Scholarship night at the RI State House. Each year RISLA honors Rhode Island high school students with $2000 scholarships to attend local colleges and universities, in the name of past Board of Director member and higher education champion Paul Sherlock.
This year, the following students from Rhode Island high schools were awarded scholarships:
Joscelyn Benoit, Lise Bissonnette, Jamie Bridges, Joshua Bronco, Theresa Corriveau, Sasha DeJesus, Dylan Dufault, Nermeen El-Araby, Marc Fleming, Courtney Gazerro, Jessica Gervais, Jonathan Gil, AMie Goodinson, David Haley, Brennan Johnson, Svetlana Lasnier, Molly MacDonald, Ariana Masi, Manuel Mora, Derek Motta, Tyler Perry, Amanda Ramirez, Conner Rooney, Carlos Rosario and Jordan Wolfe.
Taking part in the Sherlock Scholarship awards program at the State House were RISLA Executive Director Charles P. Kelley, RISLA CFO Noel Simpson, and Rep. Joseph McNamara of Warwick, Chairman of the House Health Education & Welfare Committee. Rep. McNamara offered keynote remarks to the recipients and reflected on his friend and former colleague, Paul Sherlock.
The Sherlock Scholarship is named in honor of the late Paul V. Sherlock, a former state representative, professor of education at Rhode Island College, and 18-year board member of RISLA. Rep. Sherlock died in 2004 at the age of 73. His legacy includes a tireless advocacy for those with developmental disabilities, learning disorders, and mental illness. He was widely regarded as the father of special education programs in Rhode Island. While in the House of Representatives, Sherlock rose through the leadership ranks, serving as Chairman of the House Finance Committee, a position he held until his death. Rhode Island College houses the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities.
