short order, the Nazareth endowment came to the rescue, with Sherpa receiving a number of scholarships, including the Linehan Scholarship. In 2006, Paul Linehan, a longtime friend of Nazareth College, established the scholarship that is named for him. Years ago, when Linehan was a freshman attending college out of state, his father died unexpectedly. A close friend of the family offered to take over tuition payments, but Linehan declined and returned home. Even so, that magnanimous gesture lingered in Linehan’s memory, and he set out to help students in similar states of need with emergency funds. Sherpa was the grateful beneficiary of this assistance. In fact, Nazareth cannot afford to lose students like Sherpa. In addition to being academically achieving, this enterprising young man does much to enrich the community. He has been a resident assistant in George Hall since junior year and is vice president of the Undergraduate Association. He also, of course, brings distinctive diversity to the student body, representing a nation located on the other side of the world. Perhaps most of all, Sherpa is indispensable because he is so inspiring. Lama GeShe, Sherpa’s father, thinks climbing is too risky, having seen so many friends and family hurt or killed on the punishing peaks. Nevertheless, the spirit that makes people climb is very much alive in Sherpa, and endowment funds help to support that spirit. To learn more about the Nazareth endowment and how you can help, visit www.forcollegeandcommunity.org. Alan Gelb is a freelance writer in East Chatham, New York.
www.naz.edu
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