The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) today announced the recipient of the annual scholarship honoring the memory of longtime employee and East Boston resident, Donna Rauseo. The 2021 Donna Rauseo Memorial Scholarship was awarded to East Boston High School graduate Shyann Gore. Gore will soon attend Salem State University. She volunteers her time at the Paris Street Community Center and has achieved perfect attendance and honor roll throughout high school. Gore will receive $5,000 for college.
“At Massport, maintaining strong relationships with our surrounding communities is part of our mission. Much like the Authority, Shyann understands that no act of community service is too small, whether it’s by handing out Thanksgiving meals to local families or participating in neighborhood clean-ups,” said Massport CEO Lisa Wieland. “We congratulate Shyann for making a meaningful impact in her neighborhood in East Boston, following the footsteps of our dear friend and colleague Donna Rauseo.”
The Donna Rauseo Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a female high school senior and resident of East Boston. Rauseo, who passed away in June 2009, was a graduate of East Boston High School, worked at the East Boston Area Planning Action Council (A.P.A.C.), and for more than 20 years was the executive assistant to Thomas J. Kinton, Jr. when he served as Aviation Director of Logan Airport and later as CEO and Executive Director for Massport.
To be considered for the Donna Rauseo Memorial Scholarship, students are required to have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and submit an essay of 1,000 words describing their career interests or how their community service has affected their outlook on life. In her essay, Gore wrote, “Community service is so much more than getting hours signed for school on a sheet of paper. I always feel good when I choose to help others, whether it is completing a special community service project or baking someone a batch of homemade cookies.”
Applications are judged by a committee made up of Massport employees and a representative of the Rauseo family. Students interested in applying for the 2022 scholarship should visit www.massport.com/scholarships for eligibility requirements.