Ruth P. Boraski Celebration Honors Scholars and Woman Leader
Linda Dulye is this year's recipient of the 'She Knows Where She's Going' Award, presented by the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center. See more photos here.
Amongst those in attendance included City Council President Peter Marchetti, City Councilor Peter White and Berkshire Black Economic Council President A.J. Enchill.
The Ruth P. Boraski Fund for Girls Inc. of the Berkshires at the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation was established as part of the Go Girl Fund in 2011 and since has awarded more than $145,000 in grants for Girls Inc. programs and scholarships, Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center CEO Kelly Marion said.
The programming provides girls with the opportunity to learn skills that will last a lifetime, Marion continued.
"We know the importance of being able to connect with our girls and with their families through all of our programming. It confirms to us the importance of Girls Inc of Berkshire's and the vital role this program in our agency has to the success of not only these girls, but also our community," she said.
"These young women deserve our grace and congratulations for what they've accomplished in their lives…They are strong. They are smart and they're bold achievers."
The center's Chair Melissa Mazzeo provided the audience with a brief overview of the scholars accomplishments, ranging from 4.0 GPAs, volunteer experience, acceptance to Yale University, and more.
"It's these young women that are sitting next to me, that when I started reading their bios, you're going to wonder what you were doing high school because you certainly weren't doing that," she said.
"I get tired just thinking about what they did. So each one of these girls have gone above and beyond to earn their spot to be here with us tonight and we are so honored for everything they've done."
The room cheered and clapped as each scholar was presented with a carnation and certificate, moving some recipients to tears.
"This is why we love these girls so much because they give so much and they don't want to be recognized but we need to let them know that we recognize all the amazing things that girls do. We're so proud. It's just incredible," Mazzeo said.
The community also recognized Dulye & Co. / Dulye Leadership Experience President and founder Linda Dulye with the "She Knows Where She's Going" award.
The award honors powerful women in the community so that they can pass the torch down to the young women receiving these scholarships.
"The women who receive this award are not only leaders in their field but they also prioritize philanthropy, altruism and empowerment," Scholarship Committee member Barbara Emanuel said.
"[Dulye] has personally invested in the professional development of hundreds of rising leaders right here in the Berkshire as well as hundreds more across the US and beyond."
This has been a monumental year, Dulye said, with her consulting firm turning 25, the celebration of her 30th wedding anniversary, and now becoming a recipient of this award.
The previous award recipients are inspirational women who selflessly and zealously contributed to the advancement of the Berkshires, she said. This is a resolve that she shares and hopes to give back and help others move forward.
Emanuel read a citation from House Speaker Ronald Mariano and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier as they were unable to attend the celebration.
"Representatives of this Commonwealth of Massachusetts House of Representatives via here by announce all the Massachusetts House of Representatives offers its sincerest congratulations to Linda Dulye … in recognition of the 2023 'She Knows Where She's Going' Award, well deserved, and the entire membership of the House of Representatives extends its very best wishes and expresses the hope for future good fortune and continued success in all its endeavor," Emanuel read.
Dulye attributes her success from the example her nonna, Mary Pagano Vuolo, and her mother, Ann Vuolo Dulye.
"They shaped my values and my beliefs. They taught me to be a lifetime learner to set ambitious goals and to embrace change. They showed me that worse are worth taking. And that setbacks may be stronger. And although neither are physically here today, they're vibrant spirit is swirling in this room," she said.
"I have been blessed to have these remarkable, self-made resilient women as my role models. They taught me to be curious, compassionate, considerate, and to work hard. Inspiring me to carve my own path as a corporate leader, a business owner, a philanthropist, and community activist. Hard work plus genuine passion is a success formula for personal and professional growth and development."
Dulye told the scholarship recipients and attendees to connect with people by taking stock of their conversation, asking questions, and removing communication barriers like the children's table.
"We're gonna stop the polarizing practice of segregating kids from the adults and elders during family gatherings. Stop it. Children should be seen and heard with a seat at the table where they can learn how to communicate with others who are different from them," she said.
Conversation has been a casualty of COVID-19 and the devices created to foster conversation no longer serve that purpose, Dulye said.
She encouraged those at the gathering to try and have at least three conversations a day and then steadily improve that weekly by increasing their number, duration and engagement.
Ruth P. Boraski Fund Scholarships
Taibat Ahmed, Pittsfield High School
Sadiya Auge, Taconic High School
Tatiana Curtis, Taconic High School
Tiffin Martin, Taconic High School
Gracie Samrith-Friend, Taconic High School
Sydney Wilk, Lenox Memorial Middle & High School
Jane Wong, Taconic High School
Berkshire Community College Foundation Scholarship
Italytzia Ruiz Santana, Taconic High School
Rotary Club of Pittsfield Scholarship
Molly Sullivan, Mount Greylock Regional High School
Zonta Club of Berkshire County Scholarship
Jackie Roccabruna, Pittsfield High School
She Knows Where She's Going Award Recipient
Linda Dulye, Dulye & Co. / The Dulye Leadership Experience
Tags: scholarships, recognition event,
