The William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship

The William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship is a four-year undergraduate scholarship that will go to a highly qualified young Amateur Radio operator about to graduate from high school.

The award is the result of a generous endowment from the late William Goldfarb, N2ITP. Before his death in 1997, Goldfarb set up a scholarship endowment of close to $1 million in memory of his parents, Albert and Dorothy Goldfarb. A close friend of Goldfarb's--Richard Goldstein--characterized Goldfarb as "a wonderful person" who was genuinely interested in other people. "Bill felt deeply for his parents, whom he lost when he was a teenager," Goldstein said. "He placed a high value on education, and he saw this scholarship as a way to perpetuate the memory of his parents." Goldfarb grew up in Brooklyn and, after a stint overseas in the US Air Force, he worked in Manhattan for the New York City Department of Finance. He was a great lover of the arts, culture and travel, and animals, Goldstein said, and volunteered with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Each year, to the extent of the funds available, the Foundation will select a deserving young Amateur Radio operator to receive a scholarship for his or her undergraduate studies at an accredited baccalaureate degree-granting college or university. The successful applicant must major in computers, engineering, the sciences, medical/nursing or a business-related area. Also, financial need must be demonstrated via submission of a copy of the applicant's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The award will cover conventional educational expenses--including tuition, room and board and textbooks. The amount of the award is based on several factors: total education costs of the student's selected college or university, financial need based on the student's current FAFSA application and other scholarships and awards the student receives. Each year the exact determination of the Goldfarb scholarship award is recalculated based on financial need (as determined by a current FAFSA application), other scholarships and awards the student receives.

An on-line application for the Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship is available on the ARRL Foundation Web site and must be accompanied by a full transcript and FAFSA Report. The application deadline for the Goldfarb Scholarship is February 1. The ARRL Foundation encourages high school students to apply.