Antonio and Antoinette Pieropan Scholarship Fund Grant

The Antonio and Antoinette Pieropan Scholarship Fund, established by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, supports local students from Stockbridge and West Stockbridge pursuing higher education. This fund prioritizes those in financial need, particularly encouraging vocational training in trades. It reflects the values of its namesakes, promoting independence and community contribution. Scholarships can be renewed annually through age 23, providing essential support for students seeking careers in technical fields and trades.

The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation was established in 1987 in Salisbury, Conn., with an anonymous donation of $100,000. Originally an affiliate of the New York Community Trust, the foundation became an independent public charity in 1990. Today, BTCF manages more than 550 funds that put over $14 million into action each year. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation serves Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess and northwest Litchfield counties. This unique area where New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts meet contains 2,200 square miles of natural beauty and small-town charm that is home to nearly 230,000 people.
Mission: Strengthening communities through philanthropy and leadership.
Vision:  All residents have opportunity for economic mobility and a high quality of life.
Values:
Antonio “Tony” Pieropan was a lifelong resident of West Stockbridge, MA. He attended the village elementary school and Williams High School, graduating in 1946. Tony enlisted in the Navy upon graduation and served as an electrician in post WWII Europe. After his discharge, Tony attended Coyne Electric School in Chicago, and upon receipt of his diploma, he returned immediately to his hometown, where he worked his entire career as an electrician.
Throughout his life Tony was an active and generous member of the community, volunteering his skills, serving on committees, supporting his church and promoting conservation. Tony and his wife Antoinette were not blessed with children of their own and The Antonio and Antoinette Pieropan Scholarship Fund reflects and promotes their values by supporting the ability of local young people to be independent contributing members of their community. As a tradesman himself, Tony would encourage the efforts of any student who would rather wear a tool belt than a necktie, and support those who wanted to pursue training and certification in the trades and services.
The Antonio and Antoinette Pieropan Scholarship provides support for higher education for students who have significant financial need and who are residents of Stockbridge or West Stockbridge. Scholarships may be renewed upon reapplication and approval for each year of the students’ undergraduate studies up through the academic year in which the student turns 23, pending availability of funds and the success of the student in his/her selected program. Preference will be given, if there are eligible candidates, to students interested in vocational (or other non-traditional) degrees in the trades, technical fields or in getting a certificate from a professional training program that will assist them in advancing their work in the field of their choice. Examples of such programs, not intended to be exhaustive, are: medical technology, building trades (plumbing, electrical, etc.), commercial driving, and public safety (fire/police).

Eligibility

Residents of Stockbridge or West Stockbridge for at least 5 years with a high school diploma or GED and are 21 or younger.