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Cromwell Student Receives National MS Society Scholarship

June 8, 2015

CROMWELL, Conn. – Austin Jacinto, of Cromwell, has been named to receive the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter’s Joyce and Peter Wade Scholarship.

Jacinto, 18, a graduate of Cromwell High School, will attend the University of New Hampshire, in Durham, New Hampshire, to pursue a degree in civil engineering. 

An involved student, Jacinto has participated in Cromwell High’s music program, soccer, tennis and track and field teams, and worked as a recreational soccer and basketball referee since 2012. He challenged himself in school with AP courses and is looking forward to traveling to a new state for his college career.

“Going to school in New Hampshire will challenge me to interact with new people and try new things, and I also would love to study abroad in Europe for the same reasons,” said Jacinto. “The truth is, I wouldn’t be who I am today without all of the positive and negative experiences I’ve had with my mother. She has taught me more than I can comprehend about the world and now I want to go and explore it.”

Jacinto’s mother, Renee, has multiple sclerosis. Despite her inability to drive and her limited mobility, she has always made it to her son’s soccer games, tennis matches and school concerts.

More than 6,500 Connecticut residents, like Jacinto’s mother, live with multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease. The cause is unknown and there is currently no cure. Symptoms can include numbness in the limbs, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness, loss of mobility and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted.

As a recipient of the Joyce and Peter Wade Scholarship, Jacinto plans to earn a Master’s Degree or an MBA. His dream job is to become an ‘imagineer’ at Walt Disney World.

Jacinto was recognized by the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, at its annual Hayley’s Hope and Michaela’s Miracle MS Memorial Scholarship Reception, which was held at the Country Club of Farmington, Thursday, June 4. He is one of 30 students receiving a 2015 scholarship from the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter.

The scholarship was made possible through the generous support of National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter board member Peter Wade and his wife, Joyce.

Information for the 2016-17 school year scholarships will be available on the National MS Society website on October 1st. For more information on MS or for additional information on 2015 MS scholarship criteria, please contact the Connecticut Chapter at 860.913.2550 or visit www.ctfightsMS.org.

Program Continues To Grow Across the Country

The National MS Society established its scholarship program for students who have MS or a parent living with MS 12 years ago, and it immediately became a source of great encouragement for families concerned that MS might put college out of reach. This year, more than $1.2 million in awards were presented to over 800 new and renewal recipients nationwide. Applications are evaluated on financial need, academic record, leadership and volunteer activities, a statement of educational and career goals, and letters of recommendation. Applicants are also asked to provide a personal statement describing the impact MS has had on their life. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $3,000 and recipients are eligible to reapply each year to be considered for a future award. The program is competitive and awards are not guaranteed.

“For the Jacinto family and others affected by MS across the country, there are very few known sources of scholarship assistance specially targeted for these families,” said Lisa Gerrol, Connecticut Chapter president and CEO. “MS shouldn’t stand in the way of an education, and we are hopeful this program will give families some relief.”

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide. It is the number one disabling neurological disease in young to middle-aged adults.

About the National MS Society

The Society mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS. To fulfill this mission, the Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the world, and provides programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. To move us closer to creating a world free of MS, last year alone, the Society invested $50.2 million to support more than 380 new and ongoing research projects around the world while providing programs and services to over one million people. Join the movement at nationalMSsociety.org.

About the Connecticut-Rhode Island Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society

The Connecticut Chapter strives to provide knowledge and assistance to help people with MS and their families maintain the highest possible quality of life. These goals are achieved through vital national and local programs.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are leading to better understanding and moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide.

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