Hearty congratulations are in order for Hathaway Brown rising senior Regan Brady, who is one of three inaugural recipients of the four-year, full-support Coolidge Scholarship for academic merit. The award was announced by the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation on June 16. The Coolidge Scholarship is among the most generous scholarships in America. This non-partisan merit award covers a student's tuition, room and board for four years of undergraduate study. Unlike may other full scholarships, the Coolidge Scholarship may be used by recipients at any accredited college or university in the United States.
The Coolidge Scholarship was established by the Coolidge Foundation to honor America's 30th president, and to elevate the values of principled civil leadership for which President Coolidge stood. The main criterion that distinguishes Coolidge Scholars is academic merit. Students must also demonstrate a keen interest in public policy, an appreciation for the values Coolidge championed, humility, and leadership potential.
More than 2,350 students from 48 states applied for the Coolidge Scholarship in this inaugural year. Regan was among 10 finalists who were flown to the Coolidge Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, where they were interviewed by the Coolidge Finalist Jury, chaired by Dr. Bruce Cole, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Regan is the only girl to be named a 2016 Coolidge Scholar. The other winners are Joshua Moriarty from Hunter College High School in New York, and Samuel Reddick from Evangelical Christian School in Tennessee.
In announcing the scholarship, the Coolidge Foundation shared the following biographical sketch of Regan and her many activities and accomplishments:
Regan Brady is a junior at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. A highly-accomplished student and AP Scholar, Regan’s interests include economics, debate, mathematics, and writing. At Hathaway Brown, Regan competes on the school’s debate team and is a varsity athlete in cross country, lacrosse, and indoor track. She serves as editor of the school’s newspaper, is a member of the “Savvy Investors Club,” and serves as co-president of the school’s GROW Foundation, an organization that awards thousands of dollars annually for economic and social empowerment.
Born with severe hearing loss, Regan is a national advocate for the hearing impaired. At age 11, Regan published Listening to the Waves, a book about her own experience overcoming hearing loss and growing up with cochlear implants. She volunteers with children who have experienced hearing loss and mentors families of newly diagnosed hearing-impaired children through the Auditory-Outcomes Project. Regan speaks often to audiology students on college campuses and at state and national conventions on early auditory intervention. In addition to her work advocating for the hearing impaired, Regan has raised significant funds to support wounded veterans through the Marine Corps Marathon’s 10K Race, collects food for the Cleveland Food Bank, and assists physically disabled children through Youth Challenge Sports. Regan works as a math tutor, babysitter, and for her family’s small business.
Please join us in applauding Regan on this terrific achievement.