In spring 2015, Carolyn and Jim Naumovich’s daughter Colleen became one of seven descendants of parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul (Lithuanian) Catholic Church in Springfield to win a Fr. Yunker college scholarship.  Colleen is a new junior at Saint Mary’s College (Notre Dame, Ind.) majoring in political science.

Recently, the Catholic Diocese of Springfield announced that a new round of scholarships will be awarded for the current school year based on an application posted on its foundation website:

Click to access Lithuanian_Student_Assistance_Fund_2015_Application.pdf

Colleen Naumovich

Colleen Naumovich

Completed applications are due back to diocese on Sept. 15, 2015.  Let’s show the scholarship’s administrators that there is still plenty of interest in and support for it among descendants of Springfield’s Lithuanian-American community.

According to diocesan newspaper the Catholic Times, other winners of the Fr. Yunker scholarship last spring were:

  • Catalina Abad, daughter of Michael Anthony Abad and Ana Constanza Sanchez (and granddaughter of Violeta Abramikas Abad), a student at Purdue University;
  • Vanessa Abad, daughter of Michael Anthony Abad and Ana Constanza Sanchez (and another granddaughter of Violeta). She attends Valparaiso University;
  • Michael J. Barron, son of Michael and Dina Barron and a University of Notre Dame student;
  • Adrian B. Cobiella, daughter of Mario and Kristen Cobiella (and granddaughter of Sharon and Bud Darran), a University of North Florida student;
  • Kayla E. Dierkes, daughter of Alec and Kathleen Dierkes and a student at the University of Illinois Springfield.
  • Colin T. Warren, son of James and Dianne Warren (and Bud and Sharon’s grandson), a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

According to the March 27, 2015 Catholic Times:

“The Father Yunker Lithuanian Student Assistance Fund was established many years ago through the generosity of Father Stanley O. Yunker (long-time pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church) who, upon his death, designated a portion of his estate for a trust to fund college scholarships for children of Lithuanian descent. Students can apply for this scholarship during each of the first four years of college, and it is based, in part, on the student’s financial need and other pertinent criteria.”

Father John Nolan, V.F., pastor, Church of the Little Flower,and Jean Johnson, diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools, serve on the board of the diocese’s Foundation for the People, which administers the Father Yunker Student Assistance Fund.

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