Applications Now Available for $10,000 McKeown Scholarship

The following was submitted by Cummings Properties.

Cummings Foundation has announced the 16^th Annual McKeown Scholars Program in honor of James L. McKeown, late president of Cummings Properties.  A Winchester resident at the time of his death in 1996 at the age of 41, McKeown was actively involved in the local community.

“In the past 15 years, the McKeown Scholars Program has awarded $220,000 in scholarships to outstanding Winchester graduates alone, and nearly $2 million combined in all participating communities,"said Dennis Clarke, president and CEO of Cummings Properties. “The awards were originally funded by a $1 million grant from Cummings Properties, as well as through generous gifts in Jamie’s memory.”

To be considered for the McKeown Scholar title and accompanying $10,000 scholarship, a candidate must be a legal resident of Winchester, and a high school senior in the upper 20 percent of his/her class, based on the most recently published class rank. Although open to students of other schools, the program is administered through It will be the responsibility of all applicants to meet the deadlines and requirements established by Winchester High.

Selection criteria for the award include community service, scholarship, and communication skills, as well as a reputation for fairness and integrity.  “These are all qualities Jamie McKeown possessed in high degree, and that we feel he would have considered key in determining eligible award recipients,” Clarke said.

Details about and applications for the 2012 McKeown Scholars Program are available through Winchester High School and at www.cummingsfoundation.org.  Completed applications must be returned to Winchester High School no later than Friday, Feb. 17 for verification of eligibility by that school’s administrators.

All qualified applicants will then be invited to Winchester High School during school hours on Wednesday, March 7 (only) to complete a 500-word essay on a topic of current interest to be announced that day.  Winchester High English Department instructors will anonymously evaluate the essays to identify finalists, who will then complete personal interviews with a high school selection committee. No representatives of any Cummings entity are involved in the selection process.

Clarke noted that additional funding is available for McKeown Scholars who work or whose parents work at Cummings Properties, Cummings Realty, or New Horizons retirement community in Woburn for at least 600 hours in any year. “The scholarships given to these students will be matched by their respective employer,” said Clarke, “resulting in a total award of $20,000.”

Previous Winchester McKeown Scholars include Emily Unger, Michael Feblowitz, and Yuri Kolchinski in 2009, Terry Chen in 2010, and last year’s winner, Chelsea Fujimoto, who went on to pursue her studies at Skidmore College.

For a list of McKeown Scholars award winners, as well as previous essay topics, visit www.cummingsfoundation.org.