Competition for the four-year, full-tuition scholarships offered by the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg has closed, and this year’s two recipients were selected based on their application submissions and interviews with the selection committee. Ava LeeAnn Brumbaugh of Saxton, PA, and Cody Richmond of Hanover Township, PA, were selected from 29 applicants and nine finalists.
Now in its ninth year, Pitt-Greensburg’s annual full-tuition scholarship competition offers up to three full-tuition scholarships, valued at more than $54,000 each, to qualified first-year students. The award covers the cost of in-state tuition at the Hempfield Township campus for up to four years if the student meets the renewal criteria of maintaining a 3.5 or higher GPA each academic year.
“An investment in education and knowledge always pays the best interest,” said Michael Husenits, the director of Admissions at Pitt-Greensburg. “This program allows us to attract the best and brightest, like Ava and Cody, to Pitt-Greensburg and is making a world-renowned Pitt degree more affordable.”
Ava LeeAnn Brumbaugh, of Saxton, PA, is a senior at Tussey Mountain Junior/Senior High School. At Pitt-Greensburg, she plans to major in Creative and Professional Writing. A National Honor Society member, she is first in her class with a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May 2025.
“I am incredibly grateful to receive this full-tuition scholarship,” said Brumbaugh. “Before this, I worried about the financial constraints of my education. Now, I can pursue my dream at Pitt Greensburg without compromise. Thank you for this incredible opportunity; I am eternally grateful.”
Her transcript shows a broad range of courses, including accelerated classes in English (9-12) and history, as well as Dual Enrollment/College Prep/College in High School classes (trigonometry, French 1-4, sociology, music, psychology, statistics, western civilization, and art.
The recipient of multiple High Honor Roll Awards (2019-2023) and the November 2023 Student of the Month award, Brumbaugh has been active on the volleyball team, Student Council, Prom Committee, French Club (president), and Titan Hype. She also worked part-time as a server at two local restaurants during high school.
“Ava Brumbaugh is an exceptionally adept student with a work ethic and maturity well beyond her years, wrote a reference. “. . . In my 20 years of teaching experience, she is one of the best all-around students that I have had the pleasure to teach. She has always been diligent, responsible, and mature. . . . She is a motivated, natural leader who has worked hard every single day with an eye to the future. She is driven.”
“Beyond academics, Ava is actively involved in the community, demonstrating leadership and organization skills as organizer for Kelly’s March,” wrote another reference. “She successfully coordinated various aspects of the event, including games, vendors, and food, while also reaching out to local businesses for donations.”
Brumbaugh writes about her experience organizing Kelly’s March, a community walk and fair that she created to raise money for her Aunt Kelly, who was battling stage four ovarian cancer. By all measurements, the event was a success, both as a fundraiser and for the community participation. Yet, Brumbaugh uses the essay to explore failure, which “creeps up like a silent assailant, waiting for the perfect time to make its attack. . . . I failed my aunt.”
As one reads the remainder of the essay, one sees how Brumbaugh views her aunt’s death on Easter 2024 as the ultimate failure. “As a fresh 17-year-old, . . . It was my first experience with loss that was so close to home. Someone I grew up with, who was an intricate and important part of my life. It was, and still is, a pain unable to be described.”
Brumbaugh writes about the lessons that she learned: learning to enjoy the time with the ones you love, learning to not allow the anticipation of the pain that is to come to steal the limited you have with those around you, learning that you can’t change what is meant to happen and that there are situations that you can and cannot control.
She ends the essay, writing, “If there is one lesson Aunt Kelly taught me, it is to make the most of the life you are given. You never know when that life will be stolen from you, so make it one you’re proud of. . . . Her loss felt like a failure of my own . . . I will always believe I could’ve done more. . . . her death will be a constant weight on my heart, one I learn to live with.”
Cody Richmond, of Hanover Township, PA, is a senior at Hanover Area Junior/Senior High School. At Pitt-Greensburg, he plans to major in media communications. Richmond, who holds a cumulative GPA of 4.0, will graduate in June 2025.
“Receiving this full-ride scholarship was like having a huge weight taken off of my shoulders,” said Richmond. “Financially, it will help me go into my future without any sort of extra student debts or expenses. It will also allow me to have so many different opportunities with my education and growth as a person. I intend on using my time at the school to increase my skills in content creation, such as filmmaking, as well as dig deeper into what is going on in the world politically. I’m excited to attend this school in the Fall and fully experience what the Greensburg community has to offer.”
His transcript shows a broad range of courses that are primarily College Prep, Honors Curriculum, and Dual Enrollment (English 1-4, math and science courses, Spanish (1-2), computer science, culinary arts, American/US history 1-2, government and politics, art history, philosophy, and sociology).
A regular volunteer with the Hanover Area Youth Basketball Program, Richmond served as a Junior Referee, helping to create and maintain a successful program for children in his community.
One reference wrote, “His work ethic, both academically and in the community, is unmatched . . . Cody possesses unique problem-solving abilities and will enable a successful student outcome during his time at your institution. He works well independently and in a group format.”
Another reference wrote of mentoring Richmond in screenwriting and filmmaking for multiple years. “I have witnessed his remarkable growth as a creative, empathetic, and driven individual. His talent and character align perfectly with the values and mission of Pitt-Greensburg to inspire and prepare students to be engaged members of the global community.” Richmond’s work has ranged from imaginative Lord of the Rings-esque adventures to deeply moving narratives that reflect his keen understanding of the human condition. This includes a pilot episode for a television series inspired by his uncle’s battle with addiction—“a script so poignant and insightful that it’s hard to believe it was written by someone so young.”
Outside of school, Richmond has achieved 3rd Dan status after 12 years of study and training at Hapkido Taekwondo Institute. A past attendee of Film Camp (Penn State University), Richmond is interested in photography. He also works at an after-school job at a mental health organization where he assists patient advocates and works with patients with emotional/behavioral disorders or physical disabilities.
His reference noted, “After managing a team of over 200 writers and creatives, I have encountered countless talented individuals. Yet, [Richmond] stands out for his unique creative viewpoint and his ability to harness his talents for a greater purpose. . . . Pitt-Greensburg will also gain an extraordinary ambassador who embodies its values of growth, community, and leadership . . .”
In his essay, Richmond writes of a moment when over-confidence as an inexperienced catcher resulted in a minor injury and his team losing a close game where they were up by one run. “. . . I now see what lesson I learned . . . I had become so confident in my newfound catching skills that I forgot to think before I acted. If I took a second and checked my stance, I would have noticed my hand sticking out. But instead, I was more worried about getting a hot dog. . . . Whether you are playing baseball or writing an essay, you can learn valuable lessons at any stage in your life.”