“If Nothing Ever Changed, There Would Be No Butterflies”
In honor of his little sister, Michelle, Sean Zajdel ’13 created the Michelle Zajdel Butterfly Project in order to provide scholarships for unsuspecting high school students.
But the project needs our help.
According to the project’s goals, the scholarship “would not go to the normal scholarship candidates but to the less likely. This would go to the one who has problems and stumbles and falls sometimes, but always gets up, brushes themselves off and is stronger for the experience. This would go to the child that is afraid, but faces those fears with an endless strength and determination. It would be given to a person who believes in themselves even when the world doubts them and stays true to themselves regardless of how difficult that challenge is.”
Sean explains, “It is going to go to a high school student that will be attending the University of Pittsburgh, and this student may have had a difficult time in high school or was overlooked or bullied. The scholarship is really meant as a pick-me-up for the overlooked or underrepresented student.”
This scholarship, in the project’s name, will bring some truly amazing people to our already amazing school—and you can’t get much more Pitt pride than that.
There are many ways in which we call all help the project raise $10,000 between October 1st and October 13th. First, the Michelle Zajdel Butterfly Project representatives will be tabling in Towers Lobby everyday for donations. You can also make donations in two other ways. First, visit mzbutterflyproject.cloudaccess.net and donate via pay pal. Or, you can write out checks to Pi Kappa Phi Delta Upsilon, and send them to:
223 Valley Dr.
Yardly, PA 19067.
This fraternity is sponsoring the scholarship and your money will be safe with them!
Besides donations, it’s super important to help spread the word (because every little bit counts!) You can do this through social media by changing your profile picture on Facebook to the butterfly pictured here.
Furthermore, check out this heartwarming and informative slide show and help spread it’s word as well.
“Sean’s literally one of the best people I’ve ever met and to put money towards this foundation is helping a great cause,” said Steve Valenza.
For all those that donate, the project will give you a yellow butterfly pin to sport around campus in memory of Michelle and in support of the deserving, future-scholarship recipients.
It doesn’t take much to help out some very deserving people and a very deserving cause, so check out the Pitt Michelle Zajdel Butterfly Project now and give Michelle “her chance to fly!”