Giavanna Barras

Giavanna Barras of Manville, N.J. is a History Major within the 4+1 MASE Program with a Social Studies Concentration in the Teacher Education Program. She has a 3.825 GPA and has been on the Dean’s List every semester.

At Ramapo, Giavanna has been an active member in clubs such as L.E.A.D., Alpha Lambda Delta, and worked as an editorial assistant for the Jane Addams Papers.

Giavanna tutors her special needs brothers and hopes to join Manville’s Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter after she recovers from past surgeries.

 After graduation, Giavanna plans to pursue her special education master’s and hopes to teach history and assist children with special needs just like her brothers.

Awarded Scholarships

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2024

Hirschman, Cara Mychelle Memorial Scholarship

In the Spring of 1996, Ramapo College student Cara Mychelle Hirschman was ecstatic to learn that she had been named to the Dean’s List. The transcript for that semester hung proudly on her mom’s refrigerator and demonstrated a huge accomplishment for Cara, who had a learning disability. She spoke openly about the academic struggles she faced and the compensatory strategies she employed.

Though she was declined enrollment at other colleges, Ramapo recognized the potential in this caring, intelligent, dynamic and hard-working young woman. Cara worked closely with her counselor in the Office of Specialized Services, Ramona Kopacz, and succeeded in her studies while becoming an active member of the campus community. Cara was an officer in the Marketing Club and a tutor for the Office of Specialized Services. She volunteered for the Special Olympics and held a coop position at Trucolor Lab as a customer service representative and product advisor.

Tragically, only months after receiving her Dean’s List honors, Cara was killed in a car accident at age 21. The Eleanor B. Reiner Foundation, where Cara’s mother was a board member, provided annual scholarship gifts in Cara’s memory, and in 1997 made a substantial gift to permanently endow these awards.

Hirschman Scholarships are awarded to students of good academic standing who have a documented learning disability and, like Cara, are involved on campus and in the community. 

Annunziato, Melissa Memorial Scholarship

Early in the summer of 2002, Ramapo College junior Melissa Annunziato was tragically killed in a car accident.  Melissa’s mother, her colleagues, friends, and neighbors sought to establish a permanent legacy to Melissa, her spirit, and beliefs. They spearheaded an effort to raise funds to start an endowed scholarship fund at Ramapo and held an event in February 2003 to celebrate Melissa’s life.

At Ramapo, Melissa was a Literature major working toward teacher certification in Elementary Education. She was committed to community service, worked in the teacher education office and was active in the student organization, Future Educators of America. This award recognizes students with a similar commitment and is open to students who participate in service-learning opportunities or alternative spring break programs, particularly those who are interested in working with children.

NDK Perseverance Scholarship Endowment

Nancy and Robert Kossowsky created the NDK Perseverance Scholarship in honor of their daughter, Nicole, and her success in meeting her own learning challenges. Nicole received a master’s degree in art education from Manhattanville College. She is currently a special education art  teacher in the Bronx.  The family’s intent in creating this scholarship is to “provide a scholarship for students who have demonstrated integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity.”
“Ordinary students often ask whether there are any scholarships available when they do not have an A average,” wrote Nicole. “Although this scholarship does not require a high GPA, it does require excellence in character, and that students be extraordinary and amazing in other ways. Candidates need to have a diagnosed learning difference and have learned how to self-advocate as well as embrace their differences. They need to be able to see their differences as a gift rather than a disability. Most importantly, the recipient should be someone who wants to continue to learn and knows the steps needed to reach their standard of academic excellence.