Sarah E. Ramsey ’12 Scholarship

This permanent Fund was established in memory of Sarah Elizabeth Ramsey, Champlain College Class of 2012, by her family and friends to honor her inspiring creativity, thirst to experience all life has to offer, and as a lasting legacy in honor of Sarah’s memory.

Give to the Sarah Ramsey Strong Fund Scholarship Application
Sarah Ramsey '12 holds turns face up toward the sun, mountains behind her

Be Fearless. Be Strong. Live.

The Sarah Ramsey ’12 Scholarship is awarded annually to a Stiller School of Business student who exemplifies Sarah’s qualities, including her drive, determination, passion for their profession, creative and critical thinking, individuality, and thirst to experience all life has to offer.

The goal of the scholarship is to support students seeking a transformative experience during their junior or senior year. Open to all majors and minors at the Stiller School of Business, students who demonstrate strong academic performance should consider applying to expand their professional and international experiences through study abroad or an overseas internship program.

The ideal student is one in need of financial assistance to capitalize on opportunities as outlined below:

  • Study abroad at a Champlain-affiliated campus that may include a work-based placement.
  • Study abroad through a third-party program with emphasis on expanding cultural experiences that may also include a work-based placement.
  • Completion of a high-level internship within the United States, but not within close proximity to Champlain College or the student’s home and family.

Additional Scholarship Information

    • Student must be a rising sophomore, or current junior (Open to all students) pursuing one of the majors or minors available through the Stiller School of Business at Champlain College.
    • Student must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
    • Student must demonstrate recent work-based or internship experience.
    • Student must demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA, or as determined and evaluated by the Champlain College Office of Financial Aid.” Application Process and Requirements
    • Students must submit their online application via the form no later than February 28th.
    • Student Application must include:
      • A short essay (not to exceed 1,000 words) addressing which options they are applying for, how they see this experience being transformative, and how these funds will help them.
      • Two letters of reference, including one from a work-based or internship supervisor and one from a professor, emphasizing the applicant’s character, self-driven thirst for knowledge and commitment to teamwork. Please note, if you were nominated by a faculty member you only need to submit one letter of recommendation.
      • A digital portfolio of work that demonstrates a positive can-do attitude throughout their academic experience at Champlain, including a willingness to take on multiple opportunities in order to learn and practice within their discipline arena. The portfolio should showcase exemplary work in their discipline and can include strategic planning, creativity, branding, events, communication, and other content that showcases their work in and out of the classroom. Copy, visuals, concepts, analysis, storyboards, and process flows are all acceptable items to submit within the portfolio. Be sure to identify clearly if these were class assignments, volunteer work, extra credit, or passion projects.
      • Heidi Lebrun, Assistant Director Communications and Engagement in consultation with appropriate faculty and staff, will review the applications and meet with top candidates for in-person interviews. Recommendations will be sent to the Ramsey family prior to spring break.
      • Heidi Lebrun will forward the final decision to the Stiller School of Business Dean’s Office no later than March 31 of the award year.
      • Scholarship will be awarded during the annual Stiller School of Business honors event.
      • For more information about the scholarship please contact Heidi Lebrun at hlebrun@champlain.edu
    • Scholarship recipients must demonstrate passion, drive, and a commitment to going well beyond their comfort zone during their experience. They must also keep a record of what they accomplish in the way of a public blog or in written form to present with their portfolio.
    • Upon returning, the awardee will present their experience to the Sarah Ramsey Strong Board of Directors, as well as members of the Champlain College community (SRS and Champlain website updates, newsletters, or in person at SSB student forums).

Scholarship Application

Name(Required)
Sarah Ramsey '12 holds backpack, mountains behind her

About Sarah Elizabeth Ramsey ’12

As a Marketing major with a specialization in Integrated Advertising, Sarah Ramsey studied abroad in Lima, Peru, during the fall semester of her junior year at Champlain. She embarked on a promising advertising career with internships at Cloud 9 Caterers in Burlington, and the Blue Hive advertising in Shanghai, China, before continuing her career in New York City. In June 2013, Ramsey died tragically after being struck by a car in Brooklyn, NY.

Thanks to the generosity of Sarah’s friends and family, we’re excited to offer this scholarship to Champlain students. Our hope is that scholarship recipients will continue to honor Sarah’s creative vision and drive by pursuing opportunities they may otherwise not be able to experience.
Ramsey Family

Application Timeline

Applications are due by the end of February, the scholarship is awarded in mid-April, and funds are applied for the following academic year.

For example, a current sophomore should apply during their sophomore year for a junior year experience. A junior would apply for a senior year experience. The experience does not have to be a full year, it can be for a semester.

February: Applications Due  |  April: Scholarship Awarded

SUMMER

Spring: 3,500 Applied to Financial Aid  |  Fall: 3,500 Applied to Financial Aid

Meet Our Scholarship Recipients

Past scholarship recipients have studied and traveled to Canada, Ireland, England, New Zealand, China, and Thailand. Read their stories here:

  • Congratulations to Nadine Jones ’25, on being selected by Champlain College to receive the 2023 Sarah Ramsey ’12 Endowed Scholarship.

    Through her studies and personal experience, Nadine has developed a unique and profound idea about the intersection of finance and well-being. As an Integrative Professional Studies major, who focuses on finance and social work, she is traveling around different countries through internships, so she can research the better opportunities that can be offered to lower-income individuals, specifically BIPOC communities. During the summer of 2023, Nadine completed an internship in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica conducting interviews and market research for a regional real estate firm to better understand the needs of tourists and local residents, and better serve the communities. At the completion of her internship, she presented her findings to the CEO and board members. When she isn’t traveling, she is a student leader amongst her peers as a Personal Finance Peer Coach and President of the Black Student Union.

  • Congratulations to Asher Chase ’23, on being selected by Champlain College to receive the 2022 Sarah Ramsey ’12 Endowed Scholarship.

    Asher is in the Game Production Management program in the Stiller School. Asher continuously demonstrates determination, passion for his chosen field, and a desire to experience new things. Asher has clearly demonstrated a strong work ethic and drive. He works multiple jobs while maintaining a strong GPA, and his work as a producer on game development teams has honed his leadership and collaboration skills. He is SCRUM Certified which is valuable and important in his chosen field and he is using his electives to build out his creative writing skills. Asher Traveled to Korea where he interned as a journalist and explorer for the Korean traveler blog site “The Soul of Seoul.”

    “I really enjoyed my job and thought it fit me pretty well. I got a lot of experience taking pictures, improving my writing skills, and got very into writing food reviews which I still do for the very same boss. I got to visit PC Bangs for my work and game on the clock which was something that not many get to experience. The food there was also beyond delicious. Needless to say, it was an experience I will never forget.”

  • Congratulations to Martina Monroe, Champlain College Class of ’23, on being selected by Champlain College to receive the 2021 Sarah Ramsey ’12 Endowed Scholarship.

    Martina is an Accounting major with a Finance minor. On top of being SGA President, she also served as a Financial Peer Coach and a Champ 101 Facilitator, in Fall 2022. She has also held numerous leadership roles on campus such as Orientation Leader (Summer 2022), Resident Advisor (Spring 2021), and Operations Manager for Stiller Women in Business (2020).

    Martina also works as a Saturday/Summer Teller at New England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) and she recently completed a summer internship at Gallagher, Flynn, & Co. a local accounting firm in So. Burlington, VT. With all of these accomplishments, she has excelled academically by making Dean’s List every semester since sophomore year (freshmen year she earned Trustee’s List).

    “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I received to study abroad in Dublin! I have always had a passion for travel, and living abroad for four months truly opened my eyes to all that the world has to offer. My time abroad allowed me to immerse myself in new cultures, get out of my comfort zone and travel solo over Spring Break, and create friendships that will last a lifetime. Studying abroad has changed my perspective on how I see the world, and I cannot wait to see where I travel in my future endeavors.”

  • Congratulations to Sarah Lancaster, our 7th Sarah Ramsey Strong scholarship recipient!

    “I am a third-generation Vermonter with a love for photography, playing guitar, and being outdoors. I grew up with entrepreneurial parents who shared their love of business with me. My first job was assisting with quality control—I was 6 years old. Now, alongside my mother, I am a co-founder of Pure Energy Apothecary, a company driven to provide accessible and healthy products for the body, with ingredients you can read. As a junior Management and Innovation major with a minor in Entrepreneurship at Champlain, I have had the opportunity to be an Emerging Leader, an Orientation Leader, a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, Social Impact Scholar, a fellow at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and club president of Stiller Women in Business.”

  • As an International Business major, Lauren has been able to explore her major around the world. She spent her Summer ’19 in Shanghai along with a semester abroad in New Zealand and at Champlain Colleges Ireland campus.

    “Studying abroad and leaving New England opened my eyes to the world. I am incredibly thankful to have completed an internship in Shanghai and immerse myself in the Chinese workplace culture. Thanks to the SRSF I have had the opportunity to study abroad for another two semesters. I hope to follow in Sarah’s footsteps and step out of my comfort zone while continuing my education overseas.”

  • Congratulations to Harka Tamang, our 5th Sarah Ramsey Strong scholarship recipient. Harka is entering his junior year at Champlain, majoring in Marketing.

    “Nine years ago, my family relocated from Nepal to Burlington. I’m so happy to be chosen for the SRSF and I’m looking forward to exploring London during my spring semester study abroad. Thank you SRSF for supporting my dreams!”

  • As a film major with a minor in digital marketing, Anna just completed her junior year at Champlain’s Montreal campus. This past summer, she visited Shanghai as part of Champlain’s Freeman Grant Foundation internship program.

    “I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to spend a full year, plus a summer, abroad. My studies prepared me well for my international adventures and I’m in awe of being able to follow in Sarah’s footsteps. Shanghai was an amazing cultural experience, giving me lasting new insights from meeting so many interesting and fantastic people as I explored their beautiful country.”

  • While at Champlain, Emily completed her summer internship with travels to China and Thailand. She’s currently working at Southern New Hampshire University while pursuing her masters degree in communications.

    “With encouragement and support from my family, friends, and the Champlain community, I had the confidence to pursue an internship in Shanghai, China. Thanks to the help of my scholarship, my dreams became a reality and my experiences were life changing. I’m honored to continue my journey in Sarah’s legacy, and follow in the footsteps of the amazing and talented young women who’ve gone before me as SRSF scholarship winners.”

  • Completed study abroad in Ireland and New Zealand

    “Champlain’s strong emphasis on developing global business skills encouraged me to find an international experience to include as a part of my education. I’m grateful to have been selected to receive the Sarah Ramsey Strong Scholarship, making it possible for me to study in Ireland and New Zealand and help me prepare for a career in marketing.”

  • Upon graduating from Champlain, Lauren began her advertising career at MullenLowe in Boston, where she is currently working on several global account campaigns.

    “My experience at the University of Otago in New Zealand provided a global perspective which I was able to build on to secure an internship in Shanghai. Receiving the SRSF scholarship and learning about Sarah’s passion for pursuing her dreams inspired me and helped me leverage my international experiences to pursue a career in advertising.”

Make a Donation in Memory of Sarah

Your gift, in memory of Sarah, will help students explore new entrepreneurial start-up opportunities and encourage them to harness innovative ideas in preparation for careers upon graduation.

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