Each year, the Lehigh Valley Road Runners offers scholarships to eligible students planning to continue their education at the college level after graduating from high school.
This year, 22 applicants across 10 high schools vied for one of the nine scholarships. 2025 recipients were awarded the scholarships during two celebrations, Wednesday, July 16 and Wednesday, August 6. Another year of humid weather however both ceremonies were able to be held outside. Students were joined by their coaches, family, LVRR Board members and Scholarship Committee members as they were recognized for their accomplishments through athletic and academic honors, awards, and community service. Congratulations to all scholarship recipients and applicants on your tremendous accomplishments. We wish you great success in college and beyond.
The proceeds of the annual Emmaus 4-Mile Classic are the primary fundraising source for both the Ed Thompson and Nicole Reinhart Memorial Scholarships. As the race celebrates its 47th year, the Lehigh Valley Road Runners have made the decision to retire this race from the club. But the race is not going away! At the end of this year’s event, we will hand it over to the Emmaus Community Foundation where the race will continue to support the community of Emmaus.
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.
The recipient of the 2025 Ed Thompson Memorial Scholarship is:
- Conor Fisher (Emmaus High School) attending Kutztown University to major in Business & Finance.
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.
The recipient of the 2025 Nicole Reinhart Memorial Scholarship is:
- Payton Campbell (Emmaus High School) attending Monmouth University to major in Health Sciences.
The LVRR Scholarship Fund was established to assist local high school graduates with college expenses and is funded by LVRR races and through fundraising efforts of the club. This scholarship is awarded to two eligible females and two eligible males.
Recipients of the 2024 LVRR Scholarship are:
- Avery Errico (Wilson Area High School) attending Monmouth University to major in Health Studies.
- Peter Jones (Southern Lehigh High School) attending Penn State University to major in Computer Science.
- Jared Petre (Emmaus High School) attending Moravian University to major in Computer Science & Mathematics.
- Cierra Valley (Parkland High School) attending the Rowan University to major in Nursing.
Established in 2013, the Tom Illick Memorial Scholarship 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.
The recipient of the 2025 Tom Illick Memorial Scholarship is:
- Talia Fogel (Notre Dame High School) attending Eastern University to major in Early Childhood Education.
The LVRR Trailblazer Scholarship is a way of giving back to the Allentown community and originated in 2024 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the LVRR moving into its clubhouse in the beautiful Lehigh Parkway in Allentown. The goals of the LVRR Trailblazer Scholarship is to promote the sports of Cross Country and Track & Field in the Allentown public school system and to provide incentive and support for first-generation college-bound student-athletes to further their educations. One award will be presented to a first-generation college student graduating from each public high school in the Allentown School District. The program is funded by LVRR races and through the fundraising efforts of the LVRR.
The recipient of the 2025 Trailblazer Scholarship is:
- Alicia Rodriguez (William Allen High School) attending East Stroudsburg University to major in Health & Physical Education
