MANALAPAN – Lynn and Jeffrey Winter of Manalapan have announced the formation of the Ethan S. Winter Memorial Scholarship Fund to support undergraduate biology research at The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va.
The scholarship was created in memory of their son, Ethan, who graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from William and Mary with a double major in biology and chemistry. At the time of his passing in October 2016, at age 24, Ethan was pursuing his doctorate in chemical biology at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
After graduating from William and Mary and while attending Harvard, Ethan donated to students at William and Mary to help cover their research costs, according to a press release. The Winter family has established this scholarship fund to continue his efforts.
Money raised will be awarded to undergraduate biology students selected by the faculty at William and Mary, to be used for research supplies, conference registration costs and summer research, according to the press release.
“Ethan’s passion for the sciences was undeniable,” said his father Jeffrey. “In life, he paid it forward by donating to his fellow students at William and Mary to help cover research costs. Through the generosity of donors, we hope this fund will help every student it touches reach their academic goals.”
The fund is a federal tax exempt 501(c)(3) charity. Donations are tax deductible and 100 percent of all gifts will be used to support student research, according to the press release.
Ethan, who grew up in Manalapan, graduated from Biotechnology High School, Freehold Township, with an International Baccalaureate diploma. While in high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honors Society. He participated in the Boy Scouts of America, eventually becoming an Eagle Scout.
As an undergraduate at William and Mary, Ethan was invited to perform research at the University of Warwick, Coventry, UK, and was the lead researcher for a study conducted by Dr. Diane C. Shakes at William and Mary that was published in “The Company of Biologists.” He was also recognized by and accepted into the American Chemical Society, according to the press release.
Donations to the fund may be made by check or online. Checks payable to the Ethan S. Winter Memorial Scholarship Fund may be mailed to 10 Canvasback Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726 or visit https://squareup.com/store/EthanWinterFund to donate online.
To contact the fund, email [email protected]