Stamford's Nina Bellusci Receives Inaugural Eileen Kraus Scholarship

At its 24^th annual induction ceremony last week, the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame (CWHF, or the Hall) awarded its inaugural Eileen Kraus Scholarship to Nina Bellusci of Stamford.

A graduate of the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering in Stamford, Nina Bellusci is currently a freshman at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, majoring in mechanical engineering with a focus on aerospace and a minor in astronomy. Her scholarship application was chosen from among 147 candidates from across the state. Nina’s essay on Inductee Dorrit Hoffleit, a famed astronomer, showcased her research and writing ability, while introducing us to her own love of aerospace engineering and astronomy.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to honor Nina as the very first recipient of the Eileen Kraus Scholarship,” says Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame executive director Kathryn Gloor. “As an emerging leader at the very beginning of her academic career, Nina is exactly the type of student for whom we created this scholarship. We are so proud of her and we know Eileen would be as well.”

Born in 1938, Eileen Kraus was the first woman to head a major regional financial institution, and the founding Chairman of the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame Board of Trustees. She believed in women leaders, and her legacy demonstrates her commitment to mentoring women and advancing the causes that most affect them. Eileen was inducted into the Hall in 2002. She passed away on July 1, 2017.

Established in 2016 in partnership with Kaman Corporation, the Eileen Kraus Scholarship has been extended into the future thanks to the generosity of Kaman, the Kraus family and friends. The scholarship awards $5,000 annually to an outstanding Connecticut woman beginning her first year of college. It honors Kraus’s legacy and ensures the next generation of women leaders are able to follow the trail she so capably blazed.

To be eligible for the 2018 Eileen Kraus Scholarship, applications must be:

•          Female students currently residing in Connecticut
•          Recent high school graduates or in the final year of secondary school
•          Intending to enroll in first year of college or university
•          Able to attend the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Hartford, CT for recognition (2018 recipient to be recognized at the 25th Annual Induction Ceremony in November 2018)