Congratulations to Rotary District 5150 Rotarian of the Month for May 2022, Brian Powell, from the Rotary Club of San Rafael!
Since 2012, Brian Powell has been the chair of San Rafael’s Scholarship Committee and a committee member since 2009.
Last May, Brian and his committee interviewed 25 applicants and awarded eight $3,200 scholarships to San Rafael High School (SRHS) Seniors (for a total of $25,600). These scholarships are provided by the members of the Rotary Club of San Rafael (RCSR) and the Rotary Manor. A new scholarship was created last year to remember Rotarian Gary Notti, past president of Rotary Manor.
The RCSR Scholarship Program was established in 1966 and is specifically intended to provide financial assistance to San Rafael High School graduating Seniors who are going to a college or university. To date, this program has awarded over $400,000 over the past 55 years.
The Scholarship Committee has been careful to avoid hard and fast criteria for selecting who will receive RCSR Scholarships. Each student has a unique story. Academic performance, extracurricular activities and community service are always factors that are considered. But occasionally there’s a student who lives under challenging conditions, is depended upon for raising younger siblings at home, contributes generously to community service and still manages a 3.5 GPA. After interviewing that student, the Committee might feel he or she has demonstrated more capability than a student who has a 4.0 GPA and lesser demands.
When he’s not spearheading the scholarship committee, Brian has also volunteered his time by installing the landscaping at the Rotary Manor a 97-unit complex for low-income senior citizens.
Once again, congratulations to Brian Powell, from the Rotary Club of San Rafael as our Rotary District 5150 Rotarian of the Month for May 2022!
