McKeown Scholars Program applications now available

WOBURN, January 12, 2015 – Applications are now available for the 19th Annual McKeown Scholars Program in honor of James L. McKeown, late trustee of New Horizons at Choate and president of Cummings Properties. A $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to one outstanding high school senior from Woburn this spring.

Born and raised in Woburn, McKeown was actively involved in the local community until his death in 1996 at the age of 41.

“In the past 18 years, the McKeown Scholars Program has awarded more than $520,000 in college scholarships to exceptional Woburn graduates alone, and more than $2 million combined in eight local communities,” according to Dennis Clarke, president and CEO of Cummings Properties.

This is the final year of the program, which began in 1997 and has a corresponding program in Winchester. Originally funded by a $1 million grant from Cummings Properties and New Horizons at Choate and through gifts in McKeown’s memory, the program was scheduled to operate for 15 years.

“Additional donations from Cummings Properties have extended the program four years,” said Clarke.

To be considered for the McKeown Scholar title and accompanying $10,000 scholarship, a candidate must be a legal resident of Woburn 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 Woburn Memorial High School. It will be the responsibility of all applicants to meet the deadlines and requirements established by Woburn 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 2015 McKeown Scholars Program are available through Woburn High School and at www.CummingsFoundation.org. Completed applications must be returned to Woburn High School no later than Friday, February 13, for verification of eligibility by that school’s administrators.

All qualified applicants will be invited to Woburn High School during school hours on Wednesday, February 25 to complete a 500-word essay on a topic of current interest to be supplied by Cummings Foundation by phone, within one hour of the scheduled start time. Woburn High English Department instructors will evaluate the essays, with students’ names removed, to identify finalists. The same process will be used in Winchester, however, the topic given to Winchester students will be different. A high school selection committee will then conduct personal interviews to determine the winner. No representatives of any Cummings entity are involved in the selection process.

Clarke noted that additional funding may be available for McKeown Scholars who work at or whose parents work at Cummings Properties or its affiliated New Horizons retirement community in Woburn.

“If the employment status and number of hours worked meet the criteria, the scholarships given to these students will be matched by their respective employers,” said Clarke, “resulting in a total award of $20,000.”

The Cummings organization has honored McKeown’s memory in other ways, as well. In 2014, Cummings Foundation made a gift to his alma mater, Salem State University, for the James L. McKeown ’77 Memorial Plaza. Also in 2014, the Foundation granted $2 million for the renovation and expansion of the Woburn Boys & Girls Club, which has been renamed the James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club of Woburn.

McKeown had a lifelong association with the Club. He was selected “Boy of the Year” in 1974, worked at the Club as aquatics director in college, and was the first alumnus of the Club to be elected a director and then its president.

McKeown was also treasurer of the Woburn Industrial Development Authority and president of the Woburn Business Association.

Previous Woburn McKeown Scholars include Sarah O’Brien in 2011, Francesca Malvarosa in 2012, Michael Paladino in 2013, and last year’s winner, Nicholas Minichiello.

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

PHOTO: James L. McKeown ]&B@