South Jersey Bass Club Association
"Carmen Bersani Memorial Scholarship"
Winners (& Status Updates)

(this page last updated:  7/17/2024)

   2023     2022     2021     2020     2019      2018     2017     2016     2015     2014     2013     2012     2011     2008     2007     2006     2005

For photos of scholarship presentations click here.



2024 (4 winners)
 
Hannah Kessler, Haddonfield High School

Hannah K  Hannah K

&
Nicolas Tran,
Egg Harbor Township High School

Nicolas T  Nicolas T

&
Rachael Irizarry,
A.P.Schalick High School

Rachael I  Rachael I

&
Vayia Georges,
Mainland Regional High School

Vayia G  Vayia G

2023 (2 winners)
Eva Brozosky,
Mainland Regional High School
Eva B   Eva B

&
Nicholas Guerriero,
Marine Academy of Technology & Environmental Science (MATES)
Nick G   Nick G
"Reclam the Bay" Project.                          Spear fishing.


2022 (2 winners)
Brooke Kuhmichel,
Manchester Township High School
Brooke Kuhmichel   Brooke Kuhmichel

&
Nathan Mangold,
Cedar Creek High School

Nathan
        Mangold   Nathan M
2023 UPDATE:  Nathan let us know that he's having a wonderful time up at school and getting plenty of fishing opportunities (as evidenced by the photo he included).
Nathan
        M


2021 (2 winners)
Amanda Bogle,
Wildwood Catholic High School
Amanda B   Amanda B

&
Jessica Wilson,
Bordentown Regional High School

Jessica
        W   Jessica W



2020 (2 winners)
Stacey Ngo,
Cedar Creek High School
Stacey N  Stacey N
&
Aidan Coombs,
Arthur P. Schalick High School
Aidan C     Aidan C



2019 (2 winners)
Carly Mollins, Bordentown High School

Teresa B
&

Teresa Brostow, Marine Academy of Technology & Environmental Science

Carly M


2018
(2 winners)
Isabella Destefano, Buena Regional High School
2018 Winner
&
Caitlin Lee, Williamstown High School

2018 Winner

2017 (2 winners)
Brandon Toscan, Toms River High School - North
2017 Scholarship Winners
Scholarship presentation to winners Colleen Cochran and Brandon Toscan at our July 19 barbecue meeting.
(left to right: scholarship
committee member Mike Riordan, committee chairperson Rashawn Lewis, winner Colleen Cochran, winner Brandon Toscan,  committee member MaryAnne Franchetta.


& Colleen Cochran, Marine Academy of Technology & Environmental Science (MATES)

2016 (2 winners)
Tahesia Reid, Lawrence High School
Tahesia Reid
Scholarship presentation to winner Tahesia Reid at our July 20 barbecue meeting.
(left to right: scholarship
committee member MaryAnne Franchetta; winner Tahesia Reid, committee chairperson Rashawn Lewis,  committee member Mike Riordan.

Christopher Sayers, Marine Academy of Technology & Environmental Science (MATES)
Christopher Sayers
Scholarship presentation to winner Christopher Sayers at our July 20 barbecue meeting.
(left to right: scholarship
committee member MaryAnne Franchetta; winner Christopher Sayers, committee chairperson Rashawn Lewis,  committee member Mike Riordan.

2015
Margaret Ziemba, Lower Cape May Regional High School
Margaret S 2015
            Winner
Scholarship presentation to winner Margaret Ziemba at her home on June 16.
Also shown, scholarship committee chairperson Rashawn Lewis and Margaret's mother.
2016 UPDATE
Margaret Ziemba    Margaret Ziemba
In July of 2016, Margaret wrote: "This past year went well for me at the University of South Carolina. I am still pursuing a Marine Science major and have been doing well in my classes. I had the opportunity to study abroad this May in Costa Rica as part of an enviormental science course. I saw tons of wildlife but sadly not a lot of fish, as the visibility was terrible on our snorkeling trip. I was able to find a couple of sea slugs in the tide pools the next morning before we left, but as that was our only time at the ocean, most of what I saw was terrestrial animals. I've included a couple of pictures of the trip as well.

Now I am back in New Jersey and I am again working for Rutgers University at their Aquaculture station in Cape May. I am taking a few online summer classes so I can get some required classes out of the way before my sophomore year. I also have been working on my scuba certification and have my first open water dive tomorrow. Overall I have been doing very well and am very positive about my future. Thank you for the opportunity and support you gave me to chase my dreams.


2014 (2 winners)
  Rachael Young, Ocean City High School
Rachael Young

Emily Levin, Lower Cape May Regional High School
Emily Levin

2013 (2 winners)
  Samantha Zelinski, Ocean City High School
2013 Scholarship
Scholarship presentation to winner Samantha Zelinski at our July 17 barbecue meeting.
(left to right: scholarship committee member Rashawn Lewis, winner Samantha Zelinksi, committee member MaryAnne Franchetta;
not pictured: committee member Carnen Bersani)
&
Brandon Hudik, Bordentown Regional High School
[no photo]


2012
Mariah Dennis, A.P. Schalick High School
  Mariah
                        Dennis
2014 UPDATE
In the summer of 2014, University of Maryland - Eastern Shore student Mariah Dennis took part in the Participation Education Program (PEP) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. As part of this internship she  took a class in environmental science taught by various researchers in Woods Hole. The topic of the course was global climate change and this topic was explored through the different areas of marine science such as oceanography, geology, marine chemistry, and more.  She also took part in a research project dealing with the larval succession that occurs at hydrothermal vent communities at the Eastern Pacific Rise. She stated "This internship showed me the different facets of marine biology and gave me a taste of what I may want to study as I prepare to apply to graduate school for marine science. "
Mariah Dennis               Mariah Dennis
                                 Studying sediment from a core sample                                         Analyzing water from Sage Lot pond

2011
Conor Cahill, Shawnee High School
2011 Scholarship
Scholarship presentation to winner Conor Cahill at our July 20 barbecue meeting.
(left to right: scholarship committee member Greg Lentz, winner Conor Cahill, SJBCA President Fred Lentz.

2010 - No Scholarship Awarded

2009 - No Scholarship Awarded


2008
Ryan Risher, A.P. Schalick High School
Ryan R & Carmen B
Scholarship presentation to winner Ryan Risher at our July 16 barbecue meeting.
(SJBCA President Carmen Bersani on right)

  UPDATES ON RYAN
Ryan Risher 2013
2013 UPDATE: The above photo is Washington College graduate Ryan Risher doing field work in South Dakota in early 2013.  As of late 2013 Ryan was in grad school in Arkansas & was doing research on the Red River attempting to correlate near-shore fish densities to endangered birds' nesting success.  2018 UPDATE:  Ryan is working for the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife.


2007
Zack Hitchner, Cumberland Regional High School
Zach H
Scholarship presentation to winner Zack Hitchner at our July 18 barbecue meeting.
(left to right: scholarship committee members Greg Lentz & MaryAnne Franchetta, winner Zack Hitchner, SJBCA President Carmen Bersani.

2006
Neal Armstrong, Vineland High School

Neal Armstrong

Scholarship presentation to winner Neal Armstrong at our July 19 barbecue meeting.
(left to right: scholarship committee members Greg Lentz, Fred Lentz & Carmen Bersani; Neal Armstrong; applicant sponsor Al Franchetta)

2005
Kathleen Crum, Vineland High School




Kathleen Crum
Scholarship presentation to winner Kathleen Crum
(Scholarship Committee members Fred Lentz on left & Carmen Bersani on right)
Kathleen
                    Crum
(photo from The Press of Atlantic City, June 17, 2005)



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