Lehigh Valley Road Runners are proud to share that the LVRR Scholarship Awards Ceremony, a decades-long tradition, will be held on
Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. at the LVRR Clubhouse.
We invite all club members to join us!
Each year, The Lehigh Valley Road Runners (LVRR) offers four (4) separate scholarships to eligible students planning to continue their education at the college level after graduating from high school. Year-over year these applicants exceed our expectations making our job difficult to only choose 7 winners. With the numbers of applicants increasing each year, we also needed to increase our Scholarship Committee size. The 2022 Committee is comprised of 13 Club and Board members with the LVRR Board Vice President serving as the point of-contact.
The proceeds of the yearly April Emmaus 4-Mile Classic are the primary fundraising source for both the Ed Thompson and Nicole Reinhart Memorial Scholarship
The club’s longest standing scholarship, The Ed Thompson Memorial Scholarship, is awarded to an eligible Emmaus High School (EHS) male senior. Ed Thompson graduated in 1973 and initially went into the Marine Corps after High School. When he was discharged from the service, he joined the local road running club, the Emmaus Road Runners (ERR). The ERR later merged with the Lehigh Valley Athletic Association to become the Lehigh Valley Road Runners. Unfortunately, Ed developed a very aggressive form of brain cancer and lost his battle in 1983, at the age of 27. The Emmaus Road Runners initially started the scholarship shortly after as a tribute to Ed.
Recipient of the 2022 Ed Thompson Memorial Scholarship is:
- Matthew Norton (Emmaus High School) attending Belmont University to major in Music Business
The Nicole Reinhart Memorial Scholarship, was established in 2001 in memory of Nicole Reinhart, a 1994 EHS graduate, who lost her life in a cycling race in September 2000. In high school, Nicole was a standout Track and Cross-Country runner, as well as a National Marine Corps Youth Physical Fitness Champion. This scholarship is awarded to an eligible Emmaus High School female senior.
Recipient of the 2022 Nicole Reinhart Memorial Scholarship is:
- Isabella Lees (Emmaus High School) attending Boston College for Accounting
The LVRR Scholarship Fund was established to assist local high school graduates with college expenses and is funded by LVRR races and through fund raising efforts of the club. This scholarship is awarded to two eligible females and two eligible males.
Recipients of the 2022 LVRR Scholarship are:
- Gianna Dowling (Freedom High School) attending University of Delaware to major in Biomedical Engineering
- Emma Szydlow (Saucon Valley High School) attending University of Delaware to major in Biomedical Engineering for Pre-Med
- Ezekiel Coyler (Northampton Area High School) attending Messiah University to major in Finance
- Alexander Lyon (Southern Lehigh High School) attending Colby College to major in Biology with concentration in Neuroscience
The newest scholarship, the Tom Illick Memorial Scholarship, established in 2013, is awarded to a high school senior or college undergraduate, whose parents are LVRR members in good standing for 3 consecutive years or more. This award is a continuation of the club’s commitment to our members and its young adults to lead healthy, productive and disciplined lifestyles. We want to continue to encourage their academic and community involvement as they pursue their college goals. In 2018, after the passing of long-time club member Tom Illick, this scholarship was renamed in his honor.
Recipient of the 2022 Tom Illick Memorial Scholarship is:
- Ben Lees (Emmaus High School) attending Loyola University to major in Accounting
Congratulations to all scholarship recipients and applicants on your tremendous accomplishments. Wishing you a great Freshman year of college and encouraging you all to carry your efforts forward and as you will be rewarded as you travel through the road of life!