The Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship is awarded to students at Gesu School, Walsh Jesuit High School, Cleveland Central Catholic High School, and Loyola University Chicago who practice the attributes Rebecca did in her daily life. We are proud of the recipients featured below, and all of the other scholarship recipients, for carrying Rebecca’s light in the world.
Claire Harris is a rising senior majoring in nursing at Loyola Chicago and the 2024 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Recipient. Claire is now serving a third year as executive board member at Best Buddies Loyola, and working as the Membership Coordinator. Along with Best Buddies, Claire is a part of Invisible Illness Awareness at Loyola, learning and teaching with others about less common or visible illnesses and disabilities, as well as Rainbow Connection hosting activities and creating safe and fun spaces for LGBTQ+ students at Loyola. After graduation, Claire plans to work as a Registered Nurse in Chicago.
Artesa Kearney and Giovanni Ciuni are the 2024 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Recipients at Gesu.
The 2024 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Recipients at Cleveland Central Catholic are: Nevaeh Dorcsak ’27, Marquis VonFoster ’27, and Brian Garner ’27. Nevaeh, Marquis, and Brian are all three outstanding young scholars, and we’re grateful to them for carrying Rebecca’s light in the world.
Elena Rizzo is the 2023 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Recipient at Walsh Jesuit High School.
Benjamin Safko and Catherine Elersich are the 2023 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Recipients at Gesu.
Avery Brobbey is the 2022 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Recipient at Walsh Jesuit High School.
Ana Rubio-Calvillo and Nicholas Salata are the 2022 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Recipients at Gesu.
De’Marria Calhoun is the Cleveland Central Catholic 2020 to 2023 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient. De’Marria is a member of the track and dance team, and plans to attend college on her way to becoming a pediatric nurse.
Katie Jane Torma is the Loyola University of Chicago 2021 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient. Katie graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry with a minor in Biostatistics, and plans to pursue a PhD in Organic Chemistry. During Katie’s senior year, she served as President of the Loyola Chapter of Best Buddies.
Sophia Frammartino is the Walsh Jesuit 2021 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient. Sophia is a bright student who is dedicated to her academic work. She served in student government for three years, actively participated in social outreach initiatives such especially Jesuit Refugees Services, and participated in an immersion visit to the Keno border.
Genevieve Botos and Leo Bucco were the 2021 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipients at Gesu.
Michael Mba was the 2020 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Walsh Jesuit High School.
MiNa and Bryce were the 2020 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorials Scholarship Award recipients at Gesu. Due to covid, no photograph is currently available, but above you can read the write-up from Gesu news on MiNa and Bryce’s award.
Jack Golden is the Loyola University of Chicago 2020 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient. Jack is double majoring in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience and Spanish, and he hopes to attend medical school after graduation in the spring of 2021. The close relationship he has with his brother William, and his passion for caring for others, has inspired Jack to dedicate his time to Best Buddies of Loyola. He is the current Chapter President.
Amea Lillard was the 2018-19 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient at Cleveland Central Catholic. Amea, now serving in the Ohio National Guard, was feature as a Hometown Hero on Fox 19 news for her role in facilitating a mass COVID-19 vaccination site at the Wolstein Center. About her service to provide vaccines, Amea says “Doing this I think about how proud I am of myself, and how proud of making my parents.” She also indicated how proud she is not to only serve her country, but her neighbors as well.
Cara was the 2018-2019 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient. She came to Loyola in search of bettering herself and those around her, and found her involvement in Best Buddies to play a significant role in achieving her goal. She has been accepted to podiatry school and hopes to be a podiatrist for those with developmental disabilities.
As the Walsh Jesuit 2019 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient, Sydney exemplifies the award criteria of strong work ethic, academic excellence, commitment to bettering the lives of others by sharing her unique talents and gifts, and respect and love for people from all walks of life. She puts these attributes into practice through her involvement in Labre and her parish, as well as her participation in show choir and theater. Sydney created an online chat for incoming freshmen and hosted a get-together at her home to make the new students feel welcome at Walsh Jesuit.
Christian is the Gesu School 2019 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient.
Katie was the 2018 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient at Walsh. Katie’s family and friends describe her as independent, openminded, inclusive, compassionate, generous with her time and committed to the service of others. In her years at Walsh, Katie was involved in the Labre project and participated in an immersion trip to Guatemala.
Maddy and Luke were the 2018 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipients at Gesu.
Marisa was the 2017-2018 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient at Loyola. Marissa was active in Alpha Phi Omega which allowed her to participate in service projects in the greater Chicago area. During the summer between semesters, she provided one-to-one therapy with children on the Autism Spectrum. Marissa served as president of Best Buddies at Loyola and describes her Best Buddy as “an incredible person in my life, who can make me smile in the quickest instant and turn my entire week around”.
Chloe Gunther was the 2017 Rebecca K. Hyland Scholarship Award Recipient at Walsh. From the time she stepped on campus at Walsh, Chloe was involved with the Labre project, sharing food, faith and friendship with the men and women living on the streets of Akron. Inspired by her involvement with Asia Inc., which empowers and advocates for lower income immigrants in Northeastern Ohio, Chloe sponsored a program at Walsh for students to experience what it is like for those who live in a refugee camp.
Suzy was the 2017 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient at Gesu.
Lauren was the 2016 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient at Walsh.
Maya and Anthony were the 2016 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Recipients at Gesu.
Jessica was the 2015 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient at Loyola. That year, she served as the Best Buddies Loyola Chapter President, spent time with her Buddy, and found gratitude in the fact that Best Buddies gave her the opportunity to make a difference in her buddy’s life. She studied to pursue a career in teaching special education to under-served, low-income students.
Katie was the 2015 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Walsh.
Maria and Stephen were the 2015 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipients at Gesu.
Allison was the 2014 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Loyola. Allison was a student teacher with 6th to 8th graders in the Chicago Public School system who are differently abled, and looking towards graduating in spring 2015 with her bachelors degree in special education. “Best Buddies has been such an important part of my college experience, and is an organization that I plan to be involved with in some way for the rest of my life.”
Brenna was the 2014 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Walsh.
Dante and Grace were the 2014 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipients at Gesu. They are pictured with their parents Craig Frabotta and Sherri and Michael Beedles, respectively.
Kathryn was the 2013 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Loyola. She says that being involved in Best Buddies for her four years at Loyola was one of the best and most rewarding experiences of her undergraduate career. She has served as President of the Best Buddies Program and Secretary of the Campus Activities Network, and is set to graduate this May with a degree in Biology.
Alexandra was the 2013 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Walsh.
Richie was the 2012 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Loyola.
Rachel was the 2012 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Walsh.
Ryan was the 2012 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Gesu.
Amanda was both the 2011 and 2012 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Loyola. Her continued dedication and commitment to the Best Buddies program was representative of what makes the Loyola University chapter so successful. Amanda served as the VP, Membership. During that time, the membership of the chapter tripled and Loyola was recognized as the First Runner up for Outstanding Chapter Award in the world.
Allison was the 2011 Rebecca K. Hyland Memorial Scholarship Award recipient at Walsh.