The Donald L. Rich Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in honor of Donald L. Rich, a life-long resident of Barre, Massachusetts who served as the town’s Fire Chief. Chief Rich came from a legacy of firefighters which included his father and grandfather who also served on the department. Together the three generations totaled over 100 years of fire service.
Chief Rich’s widow, Virginia “Ginny” Rich, and their daughter, Cynthia “Cyndy” Paradis, were inspired by Anna Maria College’s mission and dedication to creating leaders who serve in local communities. As a result, they donated funds to Anna Maria College to create the scholarship and keep it sustainable for future generations.
During the scholarship luncheon, Ginny and Cyndy met with members of Anna Maria’s Fire Science department including Chief Gary Daughtery, Chief Tom Bogart, and fire science student, Juliet Leask.
The Rich family’s generosity makes fire science education more accessible for scholarship recipients who will work in the field saving lives and making a difference in the same way that Chief Donald L. Rich did throughout his life.
Anna Maria College offers an on-campus Fire Science degree program as well as an online Fire Science degree program.
