Meghan O’Connor ’20 Awarded Louise Belcher Keiser Memorial Scholarship

A female member of each graduating class from Nichols School is awarded the Louise Belcher Keiser Memorial Scholarship. Meghan O’Connor ’20 was announced as this year’s recipient at the All-School Meeting on April 24.

 

Established by the Keiser family in 2012, in memory of Louise B. Keiser, this four-year college scholarship is awarded to a young lady in the Nichols School senior class who demonstrates those qualities and characteristics that Louise’s family and friends admired in her. Louise was a bright, curious, athletic and purposeful woman who touched the lives of many.

 

O’Connor has grown as a leader throughout her time at Nichols School, leading her class in student government and volunteering as a student ambassador in the Green Key program to introduce prospective families to Nichols.

 

She is also highly involved as an actress, where her combination of sensitivity and comedic timing landed her a series of important and leading roles for several years, most notably as the lead in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe during her junior year. She has also directed several one-act plays.

 

As a junior, O’Connor received Nichols’ G. Robert Strauss Jr. ’79 Memorial Scholarship recipient, awarded to a student who exemplifies a commitment to community service, academic growth, and athletic participation.

 

“The consummate student leader, she serves as a student admission ambassador at every event we hold,” Associate Director of College Counseling Dr. Joel Siepierski said. “Less formally, she leads her peers in a class that has no shortage of strong leaders. In the classroom, she is focused and hardworking. Teachers expect good work from Meghan and they get it.”

 

“Meghan’s presence in any community makes it better,” Nina Barone, Nichols School Director of Admissions and O’Connor’s advisor, said. She is driven to make herself better and, without exaggeration, the world better. I am confident that Meghan will humbly and capably make a positive difference in the lives of those around her, with the next step being in her college community.”

 

O’Connor will be studying communications and public relations and theater at Niagara University in the fall of 2020.