The Richard F-stop Minissali Memorial Scholarship $1,200
The Matthew C. Bowen Memorial Scholarship $1,200
All applicants must be residents of the Town of Rosendale. These 2 scholarships will be awarded to 2 graduating High School seniors. The award is to be applied toward tuition or the purchase of books. All applicants will be notified by May 8, 2026. Applications must be submitted by April 13 and may be left at the library or mailed to the following address:
Friends of Rosendale Library
P. O. Box 73
Rosendale, NY 12472
Please answer the following questions in essay format. All applications must be typed. Please only put your name on the cover page and do not use your name throughout your essay answers. It is important that you follow these instructions so that we may do a blind evaluation.
- What community services have you participated in during your high school career?
- What are your plans for further education?
- What role has the library played in your life?
- How does a library influence community life?
Richard F Stop Minissali Memorial Scholarship
The Minissali family is happy to offer the Richard F Stop Minissali Scholarship. Richard was fondly called F Stop Fitzgerald, a name he chose to publish under while studying photography in college. F Stop loved Rosendale! He and his wife, Judith raised their 2 children here. F Stop was the first Executive Director of the Rosendale Theatre Collective, after serving as a councilman on the Town Board. His passions were photography and fly fishing. F Stop owned and operated several publishing houses in NYC while working as professional photographer. He published books on topics from punk rock to fly fishing as well as coffee table books, partnering with various authors, including Stephen King. Although we lost him too soon, his memory lives on in his friends’ and family’s hearts. He is remembered for his many contributions to this community along with his literary legacy.
Matthew C. Bowen Memorial Scholarship
The family of Matthew C. Bowen is honoring the memory of their son with a scholarship. Matthew was an avid reader and understood the value of books and learning in everyone’s life. The library was a favorite place for him as a child and throughout his life into adulthood. He was a supporter of all libraries. After the loss of their son, they decided to there was no better way to honor his memory than by awarding a scholarship to a college bound student who shared his vision in the value of libraries.