Kids & Family

College Establishes Scholarship in Tribute to Alumna Colleen Ritzer

Assumption College is encouraging all alumni, parents, faculty and staff to contribute to a new endowed scholarship in memory of 2011 grad Colleen Ritzer.

Assumption College is building up a scholarship fund for a lasting award in memory of slain Danvers High Teacher Colleen Ritzer.

Ritzer, 24, of Andover, graduated in the Class of 2011 with a bachelor's degree in math. She was in her second year of teaching at Danvers High when she was murdered Oct. 22 allegedly by 14-year-old student Philip Chism.

The college community, just like Danvers, came together to mourn Ritzer in the days following her death. And according to a recent letter sent to alumni, Ritzer's classmates have worked with the college to create an endowed scholarship that "recognizes Colleen's two lifelong passions: teaching and math."

The Colleen Ritzer '11 Memorial Scholarship will then be awarded to a junior or senior math major Assumption who plans to teach at the high school level after graduation. The scholarship will be awarded annually in perpetuity.

The college says it's a fitting tribute to Ritzer, a passionate teacher by all accounts, by helping other young teachers pursue their vocations.

The college says a tree will also be planted on campus and dedicated in the spring in Ritzer's memory.

The letter says the Class of 2011 has taken the lead to raise $25,000 for both tributes, but contributions are also welcome from all alumni, parents, faculty and staff.

You can find more information here.


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