The Exeter Area Scholarship Fund awards $20,000 in scholarships to New Hampshire Students

EXETER_Exeter Area Scholarship Fund, founded by Nancy Phillips of Nancy Phillips Associates and Rob Burns of Baystate Financial Services, has awarded a total of $20,000 in scholarships to four outstanding students from Exeter area schools.

Each student received a $5,000 scholarship in recognition of their academic excellence, resilience, and commitment to pursuing their educational goals.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:
Lily Hammond
Lily, a student in the Careers in Education program at Seacoast Institute of Technology (SST), has demonstrated exceptional dedication to her academic studies and her community. She has volunteered at local elementary schools, participated in food and clothing drives and served as an SST ambassador representing her peers. Lily's passion for working with children is unmistakable and she has long known her future lies in helping them grow and succeed. She is pursuing a degree in elementary education at Plymouth State University.

Alex Goodwin
As a student in the Culinary Arts program at SST, Alex’s passion for cooking has been nothing short of inspiring. He has excelled in the classroom and beyond as part of the award-winning ProStart competition cooking team. He has also worked in multiple restaurants during his years in high school including the acclaimed fine dining Italian restaurant Il Cornicello where he has been employed as an assistant chef. Alex is now attending the Culinary Institute of America in New York where he will pursue his dream of becoming a professional chef.

Isabelle Gauvin
Isabelle recently graduated from the Business, Finance, and Marketing Academy at SST. Throughout her junior and high school years, she sought out internships, volunteer work and speaking opportunities during which she discovered her passion for entrepreneurship. She served as president of her school's DECA (formerly Distributive Education Clubs of America) chapter and has been accepted into the acclaimed Peter T. Paul School of Business at the University of New Hampshire. In addition to her academic achievements, Isabelle interns at a property management firm, works two part-time jobs, and has maintained high academic performance. She is attending the Peter T. Paul School of Business at UNH this fall.

Colton Dessell
In 2022, Colton earned his Associate's in Business Administration and began studying clinical psychology at the University of New Hampshire. With his mother’s passing, he was forced to pause his education to focus on personal and financial responsibilities. He has now been accepted into the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to continue his education in psychology and business. His goal is to become a licensed clinical psychologist and to open a business that supports therapy for families who cannot afford it. Colton has been working part and full time for much of his recent life and his $5000 award from EASF will help him to focus more fully on his studies and professional development.

At EASF, the mission is simple yet powerful: to empower students with dreams and determination by opening the doors to education. Many bright, motivated individuals have clear and thoughtful visions for their futures but lack the financial means to bring them to life. That’s where EASF steps in—providing support that goes far beyond a scholarship check. EASF also offers mentorship and additional support to scholarship recipients throughout their educational journey, helping to ensure long-term success and personal growth.

This year’s recipients embody the values of perseverance, determination, and vision. Each individual student stood out not only for their academic performance but for their thoughtful plans and their ability to rise above challenges.

Save the date for this year’s fundraiser, A Taste of Exeter, scheduled for December 9, 2025. Details to be released soon.

For more information about the Exeter Area Scholarship Fund, please visit https://www.exeterareascholarshipfund.com/.