By Anand Venigalla
Features Editor
Emily Pius, a senior marketing student, is working with her father Donald Pius, a landlord in Huntington, and her alma mater, the Stony Brook School, to create a scholarship fund for a student to go to the Stony Brook School, a private college preparatory, co-ed boarding and day school for grades 7-12 in Stony Brook, N.Y.
According to Pius’ GoFundMe page, “The applicants will submit an essay that will be reviewed by myself and the Stony Brook School.”
The child selected would be one that is coming from a low income family and in a difficult living situation and despite that is working very hard in and out of school.
The Pius Family Foundation will donate $10,000 to this effort, but it will not be possible without your help.” The Stony Brook School will provide $45,000.
She has been working on this fundraiser, which will contribute toward the selected student’s boarding, food, and education, since January.
Currently it’s intended for one student who is a low-income tenant of one of Pius’ properties in Huntington Station who shows potential.
“He or she would be in multiple clubs at the school, maybe has to help raise certain brothers or sisters he or she may have, and help out in the house, they may have to find a job to help their family out. They just have a lot going on, but have a lot of potential,” Pius said.
Pius feels that Stony Brook School provides a great opportunity for students to achieve their potential.
“This school also has a very good name to it and they have a 98 percent [rate] of students attend college. They have a very good culture there, good community, with the faculty all living on campus so they’re very close to the students and it would just be a good life-changing opportunity for the student that’s chosen.”
Pius went to Stony Brook from seventh to twelfth grade. “I really think this could have a good impact on the kid’s life,” she said.
She appreciated the family-like faculty and the small community spirit during her experience at the school. She was involved with soccer and track on the campus.
The Stony Brook School, founded in 1922, is an independent Christian preparatory school whose motto is “Character Before Career.”
Notable alumni include Peter Thomas, a television narrator; Clayton Daley, former chief financial officer of the Procter and Gamble Company; Jacques-André Istel, founder of the Museum of History in Granite; William G. Bowdler, an American diplomat; and Sarah Drew, an actress known for playing Hannah Rogers in the TV series “Everwood” and Dr. April Kepner in “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Pius hopes to work in real estate after graduation.
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