Lisa A. Orndorff Lajewski was a lifelong Frederick County resident and was born and raised in Brunswick. Through the scholarship fund with The Community Foundation of Frederick County that bears her name, she continues to positively impact the lives of others.
Mrs. Lajewski was a graduate of Brunswick High School. She worked for the FBI for 18 years as a program analyst in the Records Management Division, and she was an active member of All Saints Episcopal Church. In 2002, Mrs. Lajewski passed away after battling brain cancer.
To honor his wife, Daniel Lajewski established The Lisa A. Orndorff Lajewski Memorial Scholarship Fund with the Community Foundation in 2002. The purpose of the donor-advised scholarship fund is to provide scholarships to deserving post-secondary students with preference given but not limited to Brunswick High School graduates or members of All Saints Episcopal Church.
The fund has distributed $92,000 in scholarships to help students pursue their educational goals. One of those students is Bradley Stone, who graduated from Brunswick High School in 2016 and then earned his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Towson University in 2020. The Lisa A. Orndorff Lajewski Memorial Scholarship Fund helped with the costs of books, lab fees, and tuition. Bradley is currently training for his EMT-B certification and is volunteering with the United Steam Fire Engine Company, earning patient care experience hours toward his goal of returning to Towson to become a physician’s assistant. Bradley is just one example of the many students the scholarship fund has helped over the years.
Mr. Lajewski has continued to honor his wife’s legacy and has been an active participant in the Community Foundation’s scholarship selection process, volunteering countless hours to review applications. He has described the experience as inspiring and in reviewing student applications each year, Mr. Lajewski reflects and tries to remember how his wife would select an applicant.
The Community Foundation of Frederick County’s online scholarship application opens today and remains open through March 31. Scholarships are available to students pursuing post-secondary education or vocational training during the 2021-2022 academic year. Students about to complete their senior year of high school, students already enrolled in a trade school, college or university, and nontraditional students over the age of 21 are eligible to apply. Scholarship criteria are established by the scholarship funds’ founding donors, and some scholarships do not consider financial need.
We encourage all students to apply. To fill out an application and learn more about our program, visit www.ScholarshipsFrederickCounty.com.