Four students awarded Stroum Family Waltham Scholarships

Photo/Mike Lovett

Left to right: Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy; Ashley Kamal and her mother; Jessica Liebowitz; Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz; Sean Martinos and his mother and father

Brandeis University and the City of Waltham honored this year’s Stroum Family Waltham Scholarship recipients at a ceremony and breakfast on April 20.

The scholarship – which provides free tuition to Brandeis for four years – is awarded annually to a quartet of outstanding Waltham High School seniors; this year’s recipients are Ashley Kamal, Sean Martinos, Priya Patel, and Nathan Vega.

Numerous former Stroum Family Waltham Scholars returned to campus for the event, joining heads of local nonprofits, Brandeis administrators and civic leaders including Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy and members of the Waltham city council and school committee.

Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz underscored the university’s important partnership with Waltham and congratulated this year’s Stroum Scholars.

“All our Waltham Scholars have demonstrated the academic excellence and rigor necessary to succeed here at Brandeis,” said Liebowitz. “Of equal importance are the special contributions these remarkable young people have already made as music educators, research fellows, tutors and mentors. Supporting these outstanding students with full scholarships is fulfilling our most fundamental mission.”

“Not only do we celebrate our scholarship recipients, but we also celebrate our relationship to the City of Waltham,” Liebowitz added. “Brandeis has been happy and proud to call Waltham its home since the university was founded here in 1948. We love our Waltham roots; we love the way Waltham is today: welcoming, historic and diverse. It’s amazing to think we only have to go out our front door to find students like Ashley, Sean, Priya and Nathan.”  

Mayor McCarthy echoed Liebowitz’s appreciation for Brandeis’ Waltham roots. She praised the university’s service to her city and told students in attendance that Brandeis’ opportunities are unparalleled.

“A Brandeis education opens doors, not only in Waltham but around the world,” the Mayor said. “It’s amazing to see all the opportunities students have in their four years here. I’m also grateful to all city departments, and to Brandeis University, for all they do to help make Waltham a better place.”

Following the breakfast, the Stroum Family Waltham Scholars met with President Liebowitz and Mayor McCarthy.

“It’s really nice to feel so welcomed,” said Kamal, the Waltham High School valedictorian who plans to study applied mathematics at Brandeis. “It feels like all my hard work paid off, which is so nice.”

“I’m super proud to be here,” added Martinos, who wants to study biology. “I am incredibly thankful for this opportunity and am really glad to be attending Brandeis next year.”

Samuel N. Stroum, a Waltham High School graduate and Seattle businessman and philanthropist, created the scholarship in 1996 with his wife, Althea, to provide tuition for the top Waltham High School seniors who are accepted to Brandeis.

Stroum felt his scholarship gifts were a way of giving back to the community in which he was raised. Since 1996, more than 100 students have been awarded Stroum Scholarships.