Joseph and Viola Sastavickas and their children used the library for many years.  In the recent years before Viola’s death, they received service in their home from the Outreach Department of the library. When Mrs. Sastavickas passed away in 2006, her children made a generous donation to the library to endow a perpetual $500 scholarship in memory of their mother. The scholarship was raised by request of the family to $1,000 last year. According to her daughter, Kathy Sastavickas, the scholarship is “a fitting tribute to our beautiful mother and to the library and staff which treated her with great respect and affection.” 

This year a committee reviewed the applications submitted and selected Gauri Loomba to receive the 16th Viola Sastavickas Scholarship. This committee included the 2021-2022 Chairman of the Library Board of Trustees, Sarah Begg; the Chapter Chair of the AFSCME Library Unit, Kate Tigue; and Library Director, Clayton Cheever.

“Gauri Loomba is a stellar student who is destined for greatness,” Cheever said. “Her passion, motivation, and skill at working well with everyone she encounters make her stand out amongst her peers. In the fall, she will be joining the Class of 2026 in the Northeastern University Honors Program with a major in Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering. This is a great opportunity for her to further develop her creative and intellectual pursuits to further her drive to create a more sustainable future for all of us.”

This scholarship will help offset the expenses Gauri will incur in her academic journey. As an employee at the Morrill Memorial Library, Gauri has proved herself an invaluable team member, always reliable, and eager to take on new challenges. Her work transforming the Norwood High School Environmental Youth Coalition and her work with Norwood Community Media have provided additional opportunities for her to work with the library, and she is always a welcome addition to every project she joins. A well-rounded and motivated student, Gauri is a perfect candidate for this award and will put it to great use in her studies.”

Gauri is pictured with Library Director, Clayton Cheever; Sarah E. Begg, 2021-2022 Chairman of the Board; Marguerite Cummings, 2022-2023 Chairman of the Board and Kate Tigue, Head of Children’s Services at the Morrill Memorial Library.