Alumni Association Awards Second Set of Kit Campaign Scholarships

To help offset the expenses of a culinary education, the CSCA Alumni Association established the Kit Campaign Scholarship fund in 2005. The Board of Directors contacted the graduates of the School with the mission to raise funds to award small scholarships to cover the cost of the equipment kits, a necessary component to the culinary education. From the donations received, Kit Campaign Scholarships were awarded to two January 2006 students, Sarah Naugler and Carlene O’Garro.

Sarah Naugler, a student in the Professional Chef’s Program, hopes to own her own business catering to professional athletes. A personal trainer herself, Sarah understands the importance of eating healthy, nutritious food and hopes to combine her love of exercise and her love for good food. Sarah has worked at several restaurants over the past six years, including Lonestar Steakhouse and Saloon, Legal Seafood, and Bertucci’s, and has worked for a small bakery in Buffalo, New York, and in the catering departments at the Marriott Hotel and Woodman’s in Essex, MA. She currently works as a personal chef for two families.

A student in the Professional Pastry Program, Carlene O’Garro comes to the CSCA from corporate America. As a young child, Carlene spent time in the kitchen cooking and baking with her family. She graduated from Jacksonville University with a B.S. in psychology and gained employment for a publication firm. Encouraged by rave reviews for her baked goods by coworkers, Carlene began researching culinary schools with pastry programs. Realizing that her heart belongs to the kitchen, Carlene pursued her dream of a culinary arts education and applied to the CSCA. She hopes to graduate from the PPP with the advanced knowledge, skills, artistry, and business management theory to pursue a pastry chef position.

To be considered for the Kit Scholarship, the CSCA’s Admissions Review Committee recommends incoming students who meet the scholarship criteria to the Alumni Board’s Scholarship Committee. The Committee in turn chooses the deserving recipient after reviewing personal statements and letters of recommendation.

The Scholarship Committee awarded the first three scholarships to September 2006 students Kelly Antosh, Professional Chef’s Program; William Gibelli, Culinary Certificate Program; and Kimberly Poulson, Professional Pastry Program.

The Alumni Association will begin its annual Kit Campaign solicitation this spring. Donations are accepted throughout the year. Please contact the Alumni Office for additional details. To donate to the Kit Campaign, please e-mail Christine Savastano at alumni@cambridgeculinary.com.