40th Annual Shamrock Club Scholarships
Supported by Annual Raffle

Each year the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin's Milwaukee chapter has a raffle to raise funds for its Scholarship Raffle. We have given away over $25,000 since 1972. The scholarships are for Irish studies related programs, and are open to all college level students.

We also have a scholarship for pipers and drummers to attend the yearly Piping and Drumming School in Milwaukee, (the Ted Nestor Scholarship, open only to Shamrock Club members). Many students have used the money to study in Glencolmcille, County Donegal. Others have attended school at Trinity College, or many of the UC Colleges or the NUI schools in Ireland. In additon, students have used the money to attended the annual Irish language immersion weekends in Milwaukee or Madison, WI.

The Shamrock Club also administers the Milwaukee Chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians scholarship.

SHAMROCK CLUB
2011 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
ANNOUNCED

The Shamrock Club is happy to announce the 2011 Shamrock Club Irish Studies Scholarship winners. They are: Anna Holcomb, (UWM, Oideas Gael, Donegal; and Manny Madison, (UWM - Oideas Gael, Donegal). There was no AOH/Shamrock Club Scholarship winner in 2011.

Each of the candidates will be awarded $500 to further their studies. Congratulations, Anna and Manny. Enjoy your fields of study. Since 1974, the Shamrock Club has awarded over $25,000 in scholarships to 45 men and women. In addition, we have awarded the Ted Nestor Drumming and Piping scholarship for the Midwest Piping and Drumming School each June.

History of the Scholarships

In the early 1970s, the Shamrock Club began fundraising for scholarship funds. This included an Irish film series at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Union's Cinema. The funds went to the Shamrock Club Scholarship Fund at the UW Milwaukee Foundation. Individuals in Irish or Irish-related fields of studies were given the scholarship to study in Ireland. Most of the Scholarship Winners came back to the Shamrock Club.

The following were awarded scholarships from 1972-1996:

  • 1972 - Nancy Madden Walczak
  • 1973 - James Brennan - *
  • 1974 - Jeff Carlson - *
  • 1975- Mary Louise Karas - *
  • 1976 - John G. Maher - *
  • 1977 - Inger Wilkerson - *
  • 1980 - Diane Carley - *
  • 1981 - Kathleen Murray - *
  • 1983 - Sara E. Meuer - *
  • 1984 - William Mayer- *
  • 1988 - David Buss - *
  • 1991 - Brian Mullenburg - *
  • 1992 - Jane C Taugher - *
  • 1994 - Joe Gahagan - *
  • 1996 - Jennifer Vercauteren - *
    		•
    ( * = Report Given)

    Scholarship funds were initially $500, but were increased to $1000 in the middle of the 1980s. Unfortunately, the funds were blended into the general UWM Foundation funds, and the scholarship money ran out in 1996.

    2003- Present - Scholarship Rebuilt

    In 2003, the Scholarship Fund was resurrected by the Shamrock Club, this time manged by the Club itself. The scholarship was set at $500, but the parameters were changed to allow up to five winners per year.

    The Shamrock Club also administers the Milwaukee Chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians scholarship.

    Download a copy of the 2012 Scholarship application: 2012 Scholarship application

    Scholarship Winners 2003-2011

    ( * = Report Given)

      2006

    • Catherine Murphy
    • Thomas Fisher - *

      2007

    • Sharon Kelley
    • Laura Ihrke
    • Jamie Doppert

      2008

    • Julie Pikulik - *
    • Sarah Kortsch - *
    • Kenton Farmer - *
    • AOH Scholarship -
      Joseph Nelson

      2009

    • Marissa Rondinelli
    • Corinne Conley
    • Kathleen Burns
    • Stacy Cannon
    • AOH Scholarship - Sean Cavanaugh- *

      2010

    • Corey Klinzing
    • Johnn Kellog
    • Drew Blanchard
    • AOH Scholarship -
      Emily Fitzgibbons

      2011

    • Anna Holcomb

    • Manny Madison

    Ted Nestor Drumming and Piping Scholarship

    We also sponsor the Ted Nestor Drumming and Piping Scholarships. It is named in honor of Ted Nestor, a drummer in our Pipes and Drums. Only members of the Shamrock Club are eligible to win.

    The Nestor Scholarships are used at the annual Midwest Piping and Drumming School at St John's Northwestern Academy in Delafield.

    Scholarships in the past have been awarded to students who went to the Craobh Curtin Conrad Na Gaeilge Language Immersion School.

    SCHOLARSHIP RAFFLE WINNERS ANNOUNCED

    The 2011 Shamrock Club Irish Studies Scholarship winners were drawn on April 8. Here are the winners and their prizes:

    • Grand prize: $1000 -- Frederick Smith
    • 1st: Brown Deer golf package: Mary Beth Holloway
    • 2nd: ICHC concert series and Waterford crystal: J. Robert Scanlan
    • 3rd: Overnight Stay at County Clare Inn, Milwaukee: Mary Beth Holloway
    • 4th: Overnight Stay Irish Cottage, Galena, IL: Julie Smith
    • 5th: Overnight Stay St. Brendan's Inn, Green Bay: Sandy Quinlan
    • 6th: Silver necklace Courtesy of Blarney Fine Jewelry) Ray Christensen
    • 7th: Beleek vase: Jean Petersen

    Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets.

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