Comcast NBCUniversal today announced it has awarded $115,000 in scholarships for the 2020-2021 school year to 46 Massachusetts students, six of whom reside in Western Massachusetts, as part of its annual Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Program. Students are selected for their outstanding community service, academic performance, and leadership skills. The award, funded by the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, is a one-time, $2,500 scholarship to be used toward undergraduate education-related expenses. Since 2001, more than $34 million has been awarded to about 30,000 high school seniors across the country as part of the Leaders and Achievers program, with $1.3 million being awarded to more than 1,100 students in Massachusetts since 2009.
Ordinarily, the scholarship ceremony would have taken place at the Massachusetts State House. This year, we honored recipients in a virtual ceremony featuring comments from Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Comcast executives and NBC 10 Boston’s Latoyia Edwards.
“We are honored to recognize the amazing achievements of our Leaders and Achievers scholarship winners and to help them further their education,” said Dennis Mathew, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Western New England Region, which includes Western Massachusetts. “They are top achievers in academics, leaders in the community and leaders among their peers. They represent our future, and Comcast NBCUniversal is proud to support them.”
The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program recognizes high school seniors for their community service, academic performance, and leadership skills. These scholarships are provided to give young people the opportunity to continue their education to better compete in tomorrow’s workplace. Applicants to the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program must demonstrate academic excellence, commitment to community service, and outstanding qualities in character, integrity, and leadership.
When asked what community service meant to them, Nicole Servetnik from Westfield said that, “I am passionate about involvement. I believe every student and person should try and be involved in activities or clubs, whether it is for school or the community. I feel that everyone’s purpose in our world is to be involved and to be leaders to try to make the world a better place.”
Brandon Cobham from Indian Orchard added, “I have always taken an active role in my community because it is important to give back to the city and organizations that shaped the high achieving person I am today.”
The Western Massachusetts students who received this year’s scholarship are:
| Student Name | Student Hometown | High School |
| Nathan Canata | Holyoke | Holyoke High School |
| Brandon Cobham | Indian Orchard | Springfield Renaissance High School |
| Aliya Rix Hedgecock | Monson | Tec Connections Academy |
| Nicole Servetnik | Westfield | Westfield High School |
| Delaney Walch | Palmer | Palmer High School |
| Rainy Wortelboer | South Hadley | South Hadley High School |