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NEWTON, Mass. -- The ����ӰԺ Foundation today announced that nine local students have been awarded scholarships totaling $45,000 through the James J. Karam Scholarship Fund. Now in its 14th year, the scholarship provides $5,000 each to students from the South Coast Region, who exhibit strong academic performance and civic and community engagement.

This year’s winners are students from UMass Amherst, Boston, and Dartmouth, and will have the opportunity to renew their scholarships annually if they demonstrate continued excellence in their studies and beyond. The 2026 recipients include five first-time awardees and four renewals.

“For more than a decade, it has been an honor for my family and me to be able to support extraordinary young people who are doing great work across the UMass community. This scholarship is an investment in homegrown talent because we know that so many of our UMass students – including those from the South Coast – will continue to live and work in, and give back to the Commonwealth throughout their careers,” said James Karam, former chairman of the ����ӰԺ Board of Trustees.

Karam, a graduate of UMass Dartmouth, established the James J. Karam Scholarship Fund with his wife, Janis Karam, in 2013. To date, $474,000 has been awarded through the Fund, with the couple’s daughter, Alyssa Karam, continuing to play a key role in the application and award processes.

“The generosity of Jim and Janis Karam and the entire Karam family has made an impact on the ����ӰԺ – and on countless UMass students – for decades. This scholarship is one of many ways in which this family has given back to our community, and we are so grateful that they continue to direct their philanthropy towards increasing access and affordability of a UMass education,” said UMass President Marty Meehan.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:

• Adelia Bond of Fall River is a junior at UMass Dartmouth, studying business administration, and is a graduate of Everett High School.
• Nanda de Souza Meirelles of Fall River is a freshman at UMass Boston, studying communications, and is a graduate of BMC Durfee High School.
• Kissamy Georges of New Bedford, a past Karam Scholarship recipient, is a senior at UMass Dartmouth, studying bioengineering, and is a graduate of Wareham High School.
• Ayla Guillotte of New Bedford is a junior at UMass Boston, studying philosophy, law, and ethics, and is a graduate of Fairhaven High School.
• Jack Librera of Swansea, a past Karam Scholarship recipient, is a junior at UMass Amherst, studying sports management, and is a graduate of Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.
• Jackie Sassin of Acushnet, a past Karam Scholarship recipient, is a senior at UMass Dartmouth, studying marketing, and is a graduate of Dartmouth High School.
• Savanna Silva of Fall River, a past Karam Scholarship recipient, is a junior at UMass Dartmouth, studying nursing, and is a graduate of Excel High School.
• Olivia Viera of New Bedford is a senior at UMass Boston, studying political science, and is a graduate of New Bedford High School.
• Lacey Zimmerman of Fall River is a freshman at UMass Dartmouth, studying psychology, and is a graduate of BMC Durfee High School.

“The ����ӰԺ has been a beneficiary of Jim Karam’s leadership for decades, and the Karam family continues to be a model for how our supporters drive impact for our campuses,” said UMass Foundation CEO James R. Julian, Jr. “The UMass Foundation is proud to steward and manage endowed scholarships like the James J. Karam Scholarship Fund, allowing donors to direct generous giving with confidence to the issues and campuses that matter deeply to them.”

Karam's longstanding commitment to public higher education is reflected in his continued support to the University. He previously served for 10 years on the UMass Board of Trustees, including four years as chairman, where he played a pivotal leadership role in overseeing a multi-billion-dollar capital investment plan across the ����ӰԺ’ five campuses. He is a native of Fall River, and is the Chairman and founder of First Bristol Corporation, and co-owns the WSAR and WHTB radio stations.