Vernon resident earns softball scholarship

VERNON — Emma DeLuca of Vernon has been awarded the 2015 McKenzie Travis Memorial Softball Scholarship in the amount of $3,000.

The McKenzie Travis Educational Foundation was created in memory of McKenzie Travis, who was killed in a car accident on Jan. 22, 2006, at 19 years old. This scholarship fund enables the organization to keep McKenzie's memory alive in a way that has great meaning to her family while also promoting education and athletics. Although scholarship criteria includes academic standards and confirmed membership on a college softball team, the successful award recipients must have a proven track record in the area of community service and volunteerism.

DeLuca is entering her senior year at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metro Campus, where she is a member of the Division 1 FDU Knights softball team. Under coach Candi Letts, the softball squad is the first in school history to make a postseason trip to the Northeast Conference playoffs and did so for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

DeLuca, who was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars in 2013 is a biology major on a pre-med track minoring in chemistry.

During her time at FDU, DeLuca was honored by her team with the “Softball Knight” award and she received the Richard Panicucci Service Award in recognition of her extraordinary community service involvement. She also received the North East Conference Alpha Beta Award for Academic Excellence during each of her years at FDU.

For more information, about the McKenzie Travis Educational Foundation please visit http://www.mckenzietraviseducationalfoundation.com.