Beau Biden Memorial Scholarship
About the Beau Biden Scholarship
The foundation established the Beau Biden Memorial Scholarship in 2015. The Grants wanted to honor Beau Biden’s memory by creating a scholarship that recognizes college-bound high school seniors from Delaware “who embody the virtues of former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, who exhibit qualities of leadership, community, civility, respect, and a strong moral compass.”
Each year the selection committee reviews applicants to determine who have consistently demonstrated leadership, service and compassion in their communities and who will assuredly do Great Things in the future. To date, the foundation has provided more than $100,000 in scholarships to 22 students.
Then-Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden introducing his father, President Joe Biden, at the Democratic National Convention in Denver (2008).
Meet the 2022 Beau Biden Scholarship Recipients
Marissa Washburn
Marissa Washburn, Greenville, Del., is a senior at Tower Hill High School slated to graduate in June of this year. An inspiring young woman and former foster child herself, Marissa is passionate about aiding vulnerable children in the foster welfare system. In order to best provide for these children in need, Marissa created the Children’s Enrichment initiative, a fund designed to afford children in foster care the ability to participate in extracurricular activities such as sports, music, and camps. To date, the initiative has raised over $22,000 and has helped local children in foster care attend a STEM summer camp, purchase instruments, and has provided computers for children to have virtual access to therapists and tutors during COVID.
Marina Santini
Disciplined and hardworking JROTC Battalion Commander Marina Santini has always found the qualities of respect, civility, and leadership that make her a logical Beau Biden Memorial Scholarship recipient. The child of career military parents, Marina has always seen the importance of hard work, respect, and good leadership. An active participant in Cape Henlopen High School’s JROTC program since her freshman year, Marissa has served her community through a variety of service events including the NDSS Buddy Walk, The Harry K Nonprofit Group to End Child Hunger’s charity ball, and local initiatives such as the Give and Gather for Gavin group. In Marina’s own words, “I work hard to serve my community with the sole purpose of giving back and helping those in need”.
Past Beau Biden Scholarship Recipients
Where are they now?
Madison Bauerle
2021 Scholarship Recipient
Madison Bauerle, Middletown, is a 2021 graduate of Appoquinimink High School. Madison, an accomplished athlete and scholar has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership and civility from her esteemed selection to represent female athletes from the Appoquinimink school district to the mentorship of young girls in softball. A champion for inclusivity in sports and academics, Madison identifies her most “rewarding athletic experience” to be the opportunity to participate as a partner in the Special Olympics Unified Sports to promote social inclusion in sports. As an Engineering Ambassador, Madison advocated for the importance of female participation in the fields of STEM. Madison’s teacher thoughtfully identified her as “one of the most passionate leaders for change in our high school community” and the I Could Do Great Things Foundation is elated to be a part of her ascension to further greatness.
Jahmere Hargraves
2021 Scholarship Recipient
Jahmere Hargraves, Wilmington, is a 2021 graduate of Mount Pleasant High School. Despite personal adversities, Jahmere has excelled in academics, maintaining his 4.22 cumulative GPA, with one teacher remarking that “life has not always been easy, and there are many times [Jahmere] could have become another statistic in our community where too many black young men are involved in violence. But through his strength of character, ethics, and integrity, Jahmere has charted a different course for his life.” Jahmere’s myriad of community service and advocacy for underserved youth in his community is testament to his mission of “[becoming] a better version of the people around me . . . to break stereotypical and economic barriers so I am the blueprint for the next generations.” Through The Warehouse—the Wilmington-based Teen Center, which Jahmere helped to found, he hopes to “provide our city’s youth with the tools and opportunities they need to become confident and contributing young adults, who will make a positive change in the world.”
Margaret Atkins
2021 Scholarship Recipient
Margaret Atkins, Swarthmore, is a 2021 graduate of Archmere Academy. Margaret’s innate ingenuity, compassion, and leadership fueled her desire to help those impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak through skills she obtained in her Digital Design class at Archmere. Margaret’s efforts led to the founding of a network of local 3D printers to provide over 600 PPEs to health care facilities in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida, at a time when there was an extreme shortage of protective equipment. As a National Honor Society Officer, representative at the National Student Council Leadership Conference, and TEAMS Engineering Club member, Margaret has always been dedicated to academic success. One of her teachers remembers Margaret as a “high achiever” who applied her “logical and analytical approach” to all challenges, a method that undoubtedly will lead Margaret to more great things in her future at Dartmouth.
Greg Fleming
2020 Scholarship Recipient
2020 Beau Biden Scholarship recipient Greg Fleming is currently enrolled at Georgetown University. He is currently active in a program that works with children from local Washington D.C. schools to promote literacy called “D.C. Reads” and Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union (GUASFCU), the not-for-profit financial institution at Georgetown University. He credits the I Could Do Great Things Foundation with “assisting [him] in [his] educational pursuits” including his studies in the McDonough School of Business and Georgetown’s liberal arts core curriculum.
Allison Stuebing
2019 Scholarship Recipient
After becoming a Beau Biden Scholarship recipient in 2019, Allison Stuebing continues to strive to live out the same virtues as Beau through leadership, service, and compassion during her college experience. She is a rising junior at the University of Delaware, currently studying Marketing with minors in Advertising, Fashion Management, and Political Science. Allison has found ways to further her passions and education concentrations in both on and off-campus settings. Allison has been offered an internship at QVC in their Performance Partnerships department to learn about affiliate and content marketing this summer—and on-campus, she has ascended to leadership positions within several organizations geared toward her major and minors. Allison is the Vice President of the American Marketing Association’s chapter at the University of Delaware and serves as Media Coordinator for her institution’s student-run fashion and lifestyle magazine, UDress. Allison also holds a chair position for UD’s co-ed business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi. In her own words, “These experiences have allowed me to further explore my academic passions. I have made Dean’s List three out of four semesters. As I continue into my junior year, I look forward to continuing my service efforts as I work to create a student organization on campus that aims to connect UD students who have been affected by the criminal justice system with resources, such as peer support systems, jobs, and grants, that may help increase student retention and success . . . I am so grateful that the Beau Biden Memorial Scholarship has afforded me the opportunity to make the most out of my college experience. By alleviating financial challenges, the scholarship has allowed me to fully immerse myself in my academic and extra-curricular passions.”
Nicole Kennedy
2018 Scholarship Recipient
2018 Beau Biden Scholarship recipient Nicole Kennedy is a rising senior at the University of Delaware. She will graduate in May of 2022 with her Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Spanish Studies. She is also working on her Master of Public Administration through the 4+1 Program. As a Community Engagement Scholar, she is pursuing an academic program that prepares students for lives as engaged citizens. From her service as a Public Policy intern with the School Offence Diversion Program at the Delaware Center for Justice to her contributions as a research assistant with the Center for Research in Education and Social Policy, Nicole has found her passion of combining activism and direct services to bring about meaningful change in communities. She has also been able to partake in the policy process at the federal level during her time as a Congressional Intern for the Office of Senator Chris Coons. Nicole is excited to see where the future takes her after graduation and plans to continue collaborating for change that will impact her home state of Delaware.
Delaney Doran
2018 Scholarship Recipient
2018 Beau Biden Scholarship recipient Delaney Doran has found a new passion in environmental engineering with a focus on water quality and resources at the University of Delaware. As a member of the Honors College, Delaney has qualified for the Dean’s List every semester thus far. As an undergraduate intern for the University of Delaware Water Resources Center has allowed Delaney to study the quality of water flowing into the Brandywine River. Beginning in the summer of 2021, Delaney will be working as a student researcher to observe and study the impact of rising sea levels on soil properties and characteristics. In her own words, “I am incredibly thankful for the [I Could Do Great Things] family and their generosity; the Beau Biden Memorial Scholarship has enabled me to fully immerse myself in my studies, extracurricular activities, and personal growth. I am very excited to see where my future goals will take me!”
Alex Russo
2017 Scholarship Recipient
2017 Beau Biden Scholarship recipient Alex Russo graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. in May of 2021 with a Master in Public Administration and Policy after completing his undergraduate degree in Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government (CLEG) in May of 2020. At American University Alex served as the Vice President of College Democrats and his fraternity, as well as the Judicial Board Chair of Student Government. Alex was an intern for Pennsylvania Congressional Representative Dwight Evans on Capital Hill as well as the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and Kaiser Permanente. Presently, Alex is working as the Special Assistant to the Director at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to help protect consumers from financial harm.