Student Life

Four Undergraduates Receive James J. Karam Scholarships

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From left, Rachel Moussa, Sara Chedid, Emanuele Abi-Younes, James Karam and Carly Sherman
From left, Rachel Moussa, Sara Chedid, Emanuele Abi-Younes, James Karam and Carly Sherman

Two UMass Amherst seniors and two entering first-year students are among the eight recipients of $5,000 awards from the James J. Karam Scholarship Fund.

Established in 2013, the fund is named for businessman James Karam, who served nearly 10 years on the UMass Board of Trustees, including four years as chairman, and championed high-quality, affordable education during his tenure.

“These talented, hardworking students are well on their way to becoming the leaders of tomorrow, and it’s truly gratifying to be able to acknowledge their achievements and support their success with these scholarships,” said Karam. 

The endowed funds supported by Karam and his wife, Janis, provide scholarships to students who are enrolled full-time at any UMass campus, hold a high grade point average, demonstrate financial need and are permanent residents of SouthCoast communities or Tiverton, R.I. The scholarships are renewable for up to four years.

President Marty Meehan praised the Karams’ dedication to access and affordability at UMass. 

“These scholarships are creating new opportunities for deserving students and expanding access to a world-class UMass education,” said Meehan. “We’re so grateful to Jim and Janis Karam for their exceptional generosity and commitment to UMass students.” 

The scholarship winners include

  • Emanuele Abi-Younes of New Bedford, an incoming first-year student who intends to major in chemical engineering/pre-engineering. Abi-Younes is a graduate of New Bedford High School.
  • Sara Chedid of Dartmouth, a senior majoring in chemistry and a graduate of Dartmouth High School.
  • Rachel Moussa of Fall River, a senior majoring in English and a graduate of Bishop Stang High School.
  • Carly Sherman of Westport, an entering first-year student who intends to major in biology. She is a graduate of Bishop Stang High School.

Karam is president and founder of First Bristol Corporation, which has developed retail shopping centers, hotels and office buildings throughout southern New England since 1975. During his tenure on the Board of Trustees, he played a leading role in overseeing the university’s multi-billion-dollar, system-wide building program. He also advocated for the establishment of the UMass School of Law in Dartmouth, the state’s only public law school.

A native of Fall River, Karam and his wife reside in Tiverton, R.I. He graduated from UMass Dartmouth in 1971 with a bachelor’s in business and received an honorary doctor of business from UMass Dartmouth in 2001.