Maya K. Peterson SHHS Scholarship

On June 16th, 2021, we lost a dear friend and classmate, Maya K. Peterson. Maya, a 1998 South Hadley High School graduate, was an internationally recognized scholar, lover of learning, exploration, nature, and her community. We remember her best from grade school and high school. She was the epitome of a scholar and athlete who was valedictorian of our class, a swimmer, lacrosse player, and active member of many clubs. We knew that she would do great things in this world. Following her undergraduate years at Swarthmore College, she traveled the world and developed friendships far and wide, but she always loved coming home to Western Massachusetts. As an Associate Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Maya’s research spanned health, the environment, and the transnational histories of science and technology in the modern era. She was a light to all who knew her; an idealist who always found laughter and curiosity in life and in everything around her.

To honor Maya’s legacy, the South Hadley High School Class of 1998 is launching a scholarship fund. Each spring the scholarship will support one student from the graduating class of South Hadley High School. Applicants will be required to submit an essay regarding history, environment, community, travel, or language--areas that Maya loved and explored throughout her life. The $500 scholarship will help to support a student’s post-graduation goals of study, work, volunteering, or travel. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to fund the scholarship for the next decade. If we exceed our goal, we will award additional funds per year or give more than one scholarship. 

The scholarship will be awarded in collaboration with the South Hadley High School Counseling Department and overseen by a small committee from the Class of ‘98: Tara Holmes, Alison Morse, D.J. Moore, Jon Scanlon, Shelly Pagnotta (Whalen), Julie Kuipers, and Kurt Dinsbach. Please reach out if you have any questions.