Past PBAC Scholarship Winners

Since the scholarship was created in 1996, we have awarded 22 very deserving individuals with $1000/year tuition thanks to the generous donations made by Pitt Band alumni.

Interested in donating towards future scholarship winners? Get details on the Scholarship page.

 

2015 - Alicia Sigmon

Alicia is a sophomore studying Civil Engineering and Spanish at Pitt. She graduated from South Western High School in Hanover, PA, where she played violin in the Symphony, Chamber, and Pit Orchestras, was a member of the Women’s and Concert Choirs, and played mallets in Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Indoor Percussion, and Marching Band. During her senior year she was Concert Mistress in the orchestra, section leader of the front ensemble in Marching Band, and historian of Tri-M. Also in high school, Alicia swam for 4 years and was a member of National Honor Society. At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Alicia was involved with the youth choir and bell choir. Her main instrument is piano, which she began playing when she was 8 years old. Being highly involved in music throughout high school, Alicia continued her musical experience at Pitt by learning cymbals and joining the drumline, where she is the Cymbal Squad Leader, and she is a current MC of the Alpha Omega chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. She continued playing violin and is taking lessons through Pitt in order to later join the orchestra. She is also a member of the ASCE at Pitt and on the national level.

Biography as of 2015

2014 - Rachel Martin

Rachel is a sophomore at Pitt and is from Henderson, Nevada. Her parents are Julie and Tim Martin, and she has two younger brothers, Andrew and Jeffrey. Rachel started playing trumpet when she was eleven years old and has participated in her high school's marching, concert, and jazz bands as well as the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra. By her junior and senior year of high school, she was lucky enough to serve as the trumpet section leader for her marching band. Rachel graduated from Coronado High School in 2013. Now, at Pitt, she is pursuing a degree in occupational therapy with a minor in music. She enjoys being a part of the Pitt marching band trumpet section, and also playing trumpet in the Pitt Carpathian music ensemble. In addition to band, Rachel volunteers for the Strong Women Strong Girls organization and Students for Sustainability. Rachel is grateful for all the friendships and opportunities she has had because of Pitt Band.

Biography as of 2014

2013 - Lincoln Walton

Lincoln is a junior Engineering Science student at Pitt. He began playing percussion when he was 9 years old, and started playing drum set and tenors at the ages of 11 and 13, respectively. He graduated from Parkland High School where he was a four year member of the marching band, concert band, jazz band, and indoor drumline. Lincoln has also played with the Allentown Marine Band and various worship teams. At Pitt, Lincoln has participated in pep band and concert band in addition to marching band. He is a member of the Pitt Men's Glee Club and will be an appointed officer for the 2014-2015 school year. Outside of academic and musical activities, Lincoln is a member of Pitt EXCEL and works as a math and physics tutor for both college and high school students. He has also researched at LAMP in the Swanson School of Engineering. In his spare time, Lincoln runs, plays soccer, and listens to music.

Biography as of 2014

2012 - Greg Williamson

Greg is a sophomore at Pitt majoring in bioengineering with a minor in chemistry. He graduated high school from Victor, New York and has lived in Florida, Illinois, Hong Kong and Indiana as well. His parents are Pam and Bruce Williamson and he has an older brother, Scott and a younger brother Jeffrey. He participated in marching band for four years of high school and was the Low Brass Section leader and Band Captain his senior year. He also marched with the DCA drum corps Empire Statesmen for two years during high school. He began his music career playing the trumpet in fourth grade and switched to the baritone in eighth grade. He is a member of the baritone section in Pitt Band and also enjoys being a member of the pep band at basketball games. He is the president of the Alpha Omega chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. He appreciates all the opportunities and different experiences Pitt Band has offered him, especially the different trips and all the friendships he now has.

Biography as of 2013

 

2011- Darcy Mautino

Darcy graduated from Ringgold High School in Monongahela, PA in 2010. Music has been an essential part of her dancing and baton twirling careers, both of which have helped define her life since the age of two. Her mother and aunt were both baton twirlers and are both currently dance and baton teachers at Ruby Daugherty and Sherry's School of Dance in South Park, PA, home of the Modernettes Baton Twirling Corps. She twirled with the Modernettes from ages 8 to 18, and was a majorette all four years of high school. Twirling with the Modernettes allowed her to compete in ten national championships and two world championships. Pitt Band has only furthered her cherished twirling career and has introduced her to new people that she loves very much! Majoring in Commnications, the teamwork and leadership skills she has learned and continues to learn though; Pitt Band will serve to expand her future.

Biography as of 2011

 

 

2010- Brittany Weikel

Brittany is in her third year of studies at Pitt. She is majoring in Applied Developmental Psychology in Pitt’s teacher preparation program. This program is through the School of Education, so she is excited especially this year to be taking classes exclusively for her field. Upon graduation, she will continue attending Pitt for another four semesters to earn her Teacher Certification for PreK-4, Special Education Certificate, and Master of Arts in Teaching. Brittany is looking forward to learning the Spanish language abroad this summer. She has always had a passion for Spanish, but now also knows that it will be an asset to her teaching as our English Second Language Learner population continues to grow.

Biography as of 2011

 

 

2009-Monica Nicola

She currently completing her third co-op rotation with URS for the US Department of Energy. Not to miss out on important experiences, she is looking for another internship for next summer to give a different engineering experience before she graduates in December 2012. She is also looking into entry-level programs that involve completing a few rotations in different areas of a company in various locations. In the future, she plans to go back to school for her MBA so she can move up in the company from engineering to management or finance. Aside from work, school, and marching band where she plays the mellophone, Monica is still involved with the engineering sorority, Phi Sigma Rho. She is also a member of the Golden Key honor society, American Institute for Chemical Engineers, and Society of Women Engineers.

Biography as of 2011

 

2008- Ana West

After graduating with a BS degree in Applied Developmental Psychology in 2011, Ana went on to pursue her Master's of Education at Pitt with a dual teaching certification in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. She is currently an elementary special education teacher in Arlington, Virginia and lives in DC. 

Biography as of 2012

 



2007- Tyler Meinhart

Tyler graduated summa cum laude from Pitt in 2010 with a BA in history and minor in German.  During his undergraduate years, Tyler performed in both Varsity Marching and Symphonic Bands and was a member of the music committee in Kappa Kappa Psi.  On graduation Tyler went to the Johns Hopkins School of Education where he gained his MAT.  Shortly after graduation in 2011 he became a social studies teacher in Howard County, Maryland, where he teaches four sections of United States Government and one section of United State History.  Tyler believes that his involvement in music at Pitt provided him with many great opportunities and is very thankful for them.    

Biography as of 2011

2006- Elizabeth Wyman-Whalen

Elizabeth graduated from Pitt in 2009 with a BA in anthropology. She went on to earn a Master of Science in Hospitality Management from the Conrad Hilton School of Restaurant and Hotel Management. She currently teaches at the University of Houston.

Biography as of 2012




 

2004- Brian Nicholas

After graduation in December 2007, Brian became an Officer in the US Air Force as a Navigator. His job was navigating the KC-135 Stratotanker. He worked on refueling other airplanes inflight so they don't have to land. He now lives in Wichita Falls, TX where he is in NATO-Joint Jet Pilot training. When he graduates in 2013, he'll be a fighter pilot attached to one of our NATO allies' Air Force.

Biography as of 2012




2003- Andrew Levin

While at Pitt, Andrew played trumpet in the school’s marching band, concert band, orchestra and Pittsburgh Youth Symphony. He also had the honor of playing trumpet for the National Intercollegiate Band (cosponsored by Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma) in 2003 and 2005. He graduated with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Music in 2007 after receiving several research scholarships and fellowships for neuroscience research related to depression and schizophrenia.


After spending a year working for UPMC as an otolaryngological medical assistant, Andrew accepted a post-bacc research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in the Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, studying schizophrenia. Naturally, he volunteered to play trumpet with the NIH band at several community events.


In 2009, Andrew began attending the Ohio State University College of Medicine. While at OSU, Andrew played trumpet for the Collegiate Wind Ensemble, College of Medicine Orchestra and a local community band. He plans to pursue medical residency in neurology when he graduates in May of 2013.

Biography as of 2012

 

2002- Kelley Gannon

Upon her graduation from Pitt in 2005, Kelley started medical school at WVU. In 2009, she graduated with her MD and has been a resident physician in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics at WVU for the past three years. When she graduates in 2013, she will be the Chief Resident for the Department of Internal Medicine at WVU. She hopes to become either a hospitalist or intensive care doc. Kelley is also married a wonderful guy named Fred. They have a four-legged child named Ramsay. He is a 1 year old red miniature dachshund.

Biography as of 2011

 

1999 - Michael Cellurale

Known to most as Crackel, he was in school and band for 7 years due to an addition of majors. He graduated in 2006 with a BS in Psychology and aBSN in Nursing with a minor in Theatre. For two years, he worked in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the VA Pittsburgh Medical Center before returning to graduate school to become a Nurse Anesthetist. Upon graduation, Michael returned to the VA Hospital and doing very well within his work. To follow in his love of Pitt Band, Michael and his soon to be bride have chosen the 100th year anniversary of the University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band to be their wedding day. We wish them the best of luck!

Biography as of 2011

Other Scholarship Winners: