The Borzell family has presented Wilkes University with a check for $10,000 and awarded an additional $21,417 in scholarships to 13 Wyoming Area High School graduates.
The gifts are proceeds from the 2022 John Anthony “Beno” Borzell Golf Tournament. The event, now in its 11th year, has raised $215,000 to date for scholarships and facilities that benefit students at Wilkes University and Wyoming Area High School. The event is held in memory of John Anthony “Beno” Borzell, who graduated in 2007 from Wyoming Area and in 2011 with a degree in environmental science from Wilkes.
The $10,000 contribution to Wilkes supports an endowed scholarship in John Anthony “Beno” Borzell’s memory. It is presented to students studying earth and environmental science at the University. Kimberly Bailey was the inaugural recipient of the endowed scholarship in 2022. An environmental chemistry lab in the Cohen Science Center is named in memory of Borzell. In 2019, a classroom on the second floor of Stark Learning Center used by students from the College of Sciences and Engineering was also dedicated in Beno’s honor.
Additional scholarships also were presented to 13 Wyoming Area High School graduates who are scholar athletes planning to pursue studies in the sciences. The scholarship amounts, $1,700 and one “heart” scholarship for $1,017, commemorate the number 17 worn by Beno as a football and baseball player.
In all, sixty $1,700 scholarships and three “heart” awards – totaling $105,051 – have been presented to Wyoming Area High School scholar athletes since 2012. Contributions to Wilkes since the tournament’s inception is more than $125,000.
The 2023 golf tournament will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club in Mountaintop. For details, please email borzellj1717@comcast.net.
