Applications Now Open for the 2025 Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship!

Five high school seniors will take home $1,000 each from Better Business Bureau of Central New England's Consumer Education Foundation

Download the 2025 scholarship application here

The Better Business Bureau of Central New England’s Consumer Education Foundation is proud to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship.

This prestigious scholarship honors the legacy of Barbara J. Sinnott, former President & CEO of the BBB of Central New England, who dedicated her career to promoting trust, integrity, and ethical business practices.

Scholarship Details:

Five high school seniors will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to support their college or university education.
Open to students residing in one of the 225 communities served by the BBB of Central New England.
Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, community service, and a demonstrated commitment to ethical leadership.

Eligibility & Application Requirements:

Applicants must:
✔ Be a graduating high school senior
✔ Submit an essay responding to one of the following prompts:

The importance of character
Always doing the right thing
How they encourage others to act with integrity
✔ Demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and a commitment to community service
✔ Provide a recent high school transcript

How to Apply:

Interested students can download the application here and submit completed applications via email or mail.

Submit Applications By April 29, 2025

📧 Email: marketing@cne.bbb.org
📬 Mail:
Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship
BBB of Central New England
400 Grove Street
Worcester, MA 01605

For more information, please contact Megan MacBride at 508-552-0363 or marketing@cne.bbb.org.

We encourage guidance counselors, educators, and community leaders to share this opportunity with eligible students.

The deadline to apply is April 29, 2025.

We look forward to honoring the next generation of ethical leaders!

Meet Last Year's Winners

BBB of Central New England Consumer Education Foundation is pleased to announce the 2024 winners of the Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship. Scholarships have been awarded to five outstanding young students and leaders:

Eden Berry, Agawam High School
Nicholas Pompi, Hoosac Valley High School
Cheyenne Rosenberger, Milford High School
Nola Shanbaum, Southbridge High School
James Hess, Shrewsbury High School

Each of the awardees was selected for demonstrating a commitment to ethics and other values in line with the mission of the Better Business Bureau, such as trustworthiness and leading with integrity. The scholarship uniquely honors students not just for what they have done, but how they have done it. The Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship provides each of the five students with a $1,000 scholarship to be used for the expenses associated with the costs of attending college.

Scholarship applicants were required to write an essay that defined their character-building efforts, specifically addressing how they have motivated others to do the right thing, even when no one else was watching. Students had to demonstrate notable leadership skills, display their commitment to community service, and discuss the ways in which their ethical judgement governs their everyday lives.

Meet this year's winners and read a sampling of what they shared in their application essays:

Eden Berry

Agawan High School

"By not following the crowd, I never felt persecuted for pursuing my own interests. I never wanted to play soccor or lacrosse like a lot of people my age, but I did have a passion for martial arts which led to me getting a black belt at the age of twelve."

"Without that one split-second decision to put water on my eyebrows, I would not be the person that I am today. I hope I'm always brave enough to get my eyebrows wet for someone else. I may not be friends with that quirky girl anymore, but I can confidently say that we both still have our eyebrows..."

Nicholas Pompi

Hoosac Valley High School

"Character building is essential to success in life. While you can measure success in various ways, I consider a successful life as one in which I achieve my goals, find fulfillment in my work and make a positive impact on those around me. To achieve success, the qualities required include being ambitious, compassionate, honest, respectul, disciplined and reliable.

And each of these qualities have always been impressed upon by my family and something I try to remeber each day of my life."

Cheyenne Rosenberger

Milford High School

"I have taken every initiative to be the best version of myself even if no one pressures me to do so. I have demonstrated my responsibility through my academic, extracurricular, and career success."

"Whether it is staying overtime to help close the restaurant I work at or being the first to contribute to geoup discussions in one of my classes, I have shown a commitment to working hard and preserving, making me a trusted individual in the lives of my peers and superiors. I continually push myself to expand my knowledge and skills, while helping others to achieve their goals, as well."

Nola Shanbaum

Southbridge High School

"My own ambition has propelled me through a successful four years of high school. I have found that I thrive in situations where I am given free reign to wrestle with complex problems and utilize my creative thinking skills. My kindness has allowed me to form meaningful relationships with my peers, creating a strong sense of belonging and purpose within my school."

"A burgeoning passion for helping other has grown out of these experiences. It is this passion that will lead me through the next four years, keeping me invested in my studies, learning about the issues that really matter in my community and, after that, finding innovative solutions to help the people affected by them."

James Hess

Shrewsbury High School

"I recognized my first true mentoring moment during my second year as a staff member for National Youth Leadership Training. During staff training I met a fellow younger staffer who, although tentative, showed he was maturing into a bright leader.:

"Throughout the course, I strove to build trust with him by helping him find his voice and encouraging him to expand his boundaries. By the end of the week his development was so profound that he was voted into a senior staff position for the following summer, which made me immensely proud."

About the Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship

The Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship honors the legacy of Barbara J. Sinnott, a visionary leader and former president of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Central New England. Serving as president and CEO for 15 years, Mrs. Sinnott was a trailblazer in advancing marketplace trust and consumer education. She dedicated her life to fostering ethical business practices and empowering future generations to uphold these values.

This scholarship program, funded by the BBB’s Consumer Education Foundation, awards five high school seniors $1,000 each with $1,000 specifically allocated continuing their education. The CEF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported by donations from BBB Accredited Businesses. Its mission is to educate consumers on marketplace issues, encourage informed charitable giving, and reinforce BBB’s commitment to integrity and trust.

About BBB

For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the 100 local, independent BBBs in the United States and Canada. BBB of Central New England was founded in 1940 and serves 225 communities in Worcester, Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire counties, as well as parts of Middlesex County, and seven towns in Northeastern Connecticut.

Applications Open for the 2025 Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship!