Scholarship Recipient, Nicole Rossello

My name is Nicole Rossello and I am from Bellerose, New York. I could not believe it when I opened my Buckeye Link account and saw a $10,000 scholarship awarded to me courtesy of the Kaufman Family - it seemed too good to be true. You have no idea how appreciative I am to receive such a generous scholarship. I was even more excited to tell my parents, knowing how happy and proud they would be.

Three years ago, the likelihood for me to go away to school seemed to be in jeopardy when the removal of a cyst on my mother's eyelid turned out to be sebaceous carcinoma, a rare eyelid cancer. Removing the cancer with surgery seemed to be enough. However, it did not end there; almost a year later, the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes in her neck. Finally, after two surgeries, months of radiation and dozens of doctor appointments with some very amazing medical professionals, my mother is thankfully healthy and cancer free.

Happily, I am starting my second year at Ohio State. It was so great to expand my horizons beyond the New York metropolitan area and get a taste for what life is like in other parts of the country. Going to the football games and traveling throughout the city of Columbus, trying different restaurants and going to different events throughout the city, I've enjoyed meeting so many new people from so many diverse backgrounds. All of my friends from home are dying to come visit me! I am in the Delta Gamma sorority where I have formed some pretty special bonds with my sorority sisters. I am also majoring in civil engineering, taking courses such as calculus, physics, chemistry, engineering and some electives like theater and English. My ultimate goal is to get my master's degree in structural engineering and possibly get an internship next summer!

I honestly can't mention enough how extremely surprised and grateful I was when I found out I received The Mariana and George S. Kaufman Scholarship. I also have a younger brother who is about to be a freshman in college at the University of South Carolina, so this scholarship will help my family support two children in college.

It is so comforting to know that there are so many wonderful scholarships available such as the Kaufman Scholarship. Mr. Kaufman, I want to thank you for so generously donating your money to set up this scholarship fund in order to give back to the school that you once attended. I can only hope that one day, I will be able to do the same, and assist future Buckeyes by making college expenses a little easier for them and their families.

Many, many thanks and go Bucks!"

If you would like to make an impact and support scholarships for students, contact Tiffany Worthington at worthington.72@osu.edu or 614-292-8158