Bobby Gemelas AHEPA Scholarship
- Brother Bobby Gemelas was initiated into Port Jefferson Chapter 319 on June 4, 2017. He passed away on April 23, 2023, after a yearlong courageous battle with cancer. He was a valuable member of the AHEPA District 6 Lodge who will always be with us forever. He left behind a beautiful wife Samantha and 8-month-old daughter Kalligrace. In 2024, AHEPA Chapter 319 of Port Jefferson renamed their annual scholarship for the Center of Hellenic Studies at Stony Brook University after Bobby.
- AHEPA Chapter 319 of Port Jefferson is pleased to sponsor the Bobby Gemelas 5th annual essay competition, which focuses on documenting the experiences and history of people of Greek and Cypriot descent who immigrated to the US in the first half of the twentieth century, and who settled on Long Island, NY.
- The competition is open to 3 categories of students:
- 1) Students at Stony Brook University enrolled in Modern Greek Classes, and/or the Hellenic Studies Program
- 2) GOCA students attending College
- 3) GOCA students attending High School. All are encouraged to participate.
- The participants are expected to interview one or more senior Greek and Cypriot residents of Long Island and document how they were received and blended into the American culture, learned the language, and became established in the community as citizens of the United States.
- This year we invite students to interview first generation Greek Americans, as well, documenting their parents’ story and what it was like growing up as a Greek American. Correlations could be drawn to the current immigration environment.
- The faculty associated with the Center for Hellenic Studies at the SBU will continue to be available to advise and support their students as they conduct their research and prepare their essays.
- High school students and college students that are members of GOCA will have their essays reviewed and graded by AHEPA Port Jefferson Chapter 319.
- Access to senior Greek and Cypriot residents of Long Island will be facilitated by the AHEPA Chapter 319 as needed.
- A select committee of faculty and Ahepans will review the submissions and will select the three winners of the competition.
- Each of the three winners will receive an award of $1,000 sponsored by the AHEPA Chapter 319 of Port Jefferson on the following dates:
- SBU Students: 5/10/26
- GOCA Students: 5/24/26
- For more information contact John Hanges, AHEPA Director of Education, at jnh63@aol.com
