Grateful family creates softball scholarship when grizzly athletics says it cares about the whole studentathlete, they mean it. case in point: softball coach dervin taylor. when third baseman shaena connelly’s father, stacy, passed away last november, taylor and his wife opened their hearts and home.
laske ‘91, ‘01 recertified as fund raising executive Lori L. Laske ‘91, ‘01, Executive Director of ASU Alumni and Donor Relations, was recertified as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) by CFRE International. Over 5,500 professionals around the world hold the designation, having met the organization’s standards that include a rigorous written examination.
aStater adams family legacies
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TOP LEFT: Shaena Connelly with her dad, Stacy, at the softball team’s 2015 senior day. BOTTOM LEFT: Head softball coach Dervin Taylor with Gabby Griego, the first scholarship recipient.
Stacy Connelly died unexpectedly the day after his 45th birthday. After spending two weeks back home in Brighton, Colo., Shaena had trouble sleeping once she returned to school, so the Taylors invited her to stay with them for a time. In recognition of Taylor’s kindness, Shaena’s mom, Becky, created a scholarship for a softball player. "The scholarship places value on what was important to Mr. Connelly, the education and empowerment of young women, as they should be supported, encouraged and enabled to do whatever they want to do in this world," she said.The S. Connelly Scholarship is named for Stacy and his two daughters. It will award a minimum of $1,300 a year to a full-time senior who is an NCAA-eligible member of the softball team. Becky Connelly said that amount was chosen because “13 is kind of the family’s number,” as well as Shaena’s uniform number. Shaena has a double major in history/ political science and sociology with emphases in pre-law and criminology & social welfare. The scholarship’s first recipient was Gabrielle "Gabby" Griego, of Las Vegas, New Mexico. A senior majoring in accounting with a minor a Spanish, she plays second base and shortstop. “The S. Connelly Scholarship means more to me than just the scholarship itself; it means family. Growing up around softball with my father, I know that a bond between a parent and a child because of a sport is something special,” Griego said. “I am so thankful to have received this scholarship in remembrance of Mr. Connelly, because I know that he and Shaena experienced the same ‘love of the game’ as my dad and I. I will honor this scholarship and his name as if he were my dad.”
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