In 2007, the Valparaiso High School class of 1956 and the Collings Foundation awarded their first scholarships to select Valparaiso High School seniors. Since that time, the class of ’56 has provided four students with scholarship money and the Collings Foundation has similarly awarded nine students. 
“Our class was very close and we turned out a number of professionals who are leaders in their fields,” said Bob Collings, co-founder of the Collings Foundation and member of the class of ’56. “We wanted to encourage leadership skills in this generation of students, and we established these scholarships to that end.”
With the first group of scholarship recipients now entering their senior year of college, Collings and Judith Harrington, Ph.D., a member of the class of ’56 scholarship committee, wanted to gather all of the recipients together to share their experiences.
Recently the students had a chance to get together in Valparaiso. “It was wonderful hearing what all of these bright and engaged students are doing with their lives,” Harrington commented. “Bob and I were so pleased to learn they are involved in so many different career paths.”
Pictured is a photo of the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Class of ’56 and the Collings Foundation Scholarship recipients.
(Front row left to right) Bob Collings, Caroline Collings, Judy Harrington, Brendan Scannell, Erin Welsh, Allison Nix.
(Back row left to right) Collin Willing, Brianna Sever, Cliff Bryan, Alex Sarkisian, Nathan Felton, Michael Jancovich, Iris Summers.
(Absent) Kate Sanders, Caitlin Casey, Katie Lenz