Welcome
Statement of ASF purpose:
The American Suzuki Foundation exists to help support the students, families
and activities of the Aber Suzuki Center.
Overview:
The American Suzuki Foundation Board oversees three funds, which are used to
support the activities of the Foundation.
- Margery Aber Endowment Fund: Since 1987, the Foundation has
had stewardship of this fund, which has formed the basis of the Foundations
awards.
- Kathleen Franceschi Fund: Following the death of cellist
Kathleen Franceschi, this fund was established specifically to support ASC cello
students.
- Aber Childrens Scholarship Fund: In 1994, Margery Aber
established this fund to honor the memory of her parents, Earle and Vina
Aber.
- Scholarship support: Over the last several years, the Board
has instituted several programs of support for ASC and its students.
- Margery V. Aber Scholarship: The Foundation provides
scholarship support for undergraduate and graduate music students at the
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, for those students studying to become
Suzuki teachers.
- Needs-Based Scholarships: Each semester, $3,000 is granted
in needs-based scholarships to the families of ASC students, in order to make
lessons more affordable. Awards depend upon family income, the number of ASC
students in the family and the level of involvement in the ASC program. Proceeds
from the Kathleen Franceschi Fund are used to grant aid to cello students in the
ASC program. Applications are accepted at the beginning of each new semester of
instruction.
- Aber Childrens Scholarships: Once each year, scholarships
are awarded from the Aber Childrens Scholarship Fund. These awards are not based
upon financial need, but rather on the applying families' practice of the
principles of the Suzuki philosophy. Families are asked to respond to a set of
questions related to an aspect of Dr. Suzuki's teachings and may be asked to
participate in an interview process. Awards may be used to pay for any part of
the ASC program, including regular school-year lessons, summer lessons, or the
American Suzuki Institute.
- ASI Shinichi Suzuki Teacher Training Scholarships: Since
the death of Shinichi Suzuki in 1998, the Board has provided $5,000 each year in
support of teacher training at the American Suzuki Institute. In his later
years, Dr. Suzuki worked with teacher trainees in Matsumoto, and the Board
sought to continue his work here in Stevens Point and provide assistance in the
training of the next generation of Suzuki teachers. Exceptional teacher training
candidates for the American Suzuki Institute may submit an application as a
Shinichi Suzuki Scholar. Awards pay for expenses associated with attending the
teacher training portion of the American Suzuki Institute.
Current Board of Directors:
- Kitty Munck, President
- Orsolya Gosztony, Vice President
- Dani Lai, Secretary
- Andy Felt, Treasurer
- Sarah Beversdorf
- John Leek
- Heidi O'Brien
- Claudia Trimarco
- Jeff Morin, Ex Officio
- Pat D'Ercole, Ex Officio