The Tom Giddings Memorial Scholarship was created to honor and remember the late Thomas E. Giddings, who was deeply involved in economic and agricultural development in Africa. Tom first served in Africa in the 1960s, initially as a Peace Corps volunteer and then as a civilian employee of the Corps. Later, he was vice president of the TechnoServe Foundation and headed its development efforts in Africa during the 1970s and 1980s. A long-time Peace Corps agency representative said that Tom Giddings' accomplishments in Africa were the most significant that he was personally aware of. At the age of 47, during a visit home to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in January 1990, Tom died suddenly of malaria that had been contracted in Africa years earlier. The theme of the memorial scholarship is leadership and service. All of his friends remembered Tom's early leadership qualities: he co-captained the 1958 Pittsfield High football team, and was president of his fraternity at Brown University. More important, however, was the feeling that, "What really sets Tom's life apart ... is the extra dimension of his service to others. This is what we really want to recognize and remember by way of the memorial scholarship" (from the letter to classmates announcing the memorial scholarship).   For a description of Tom's early years growing up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, please click biography. For a description of Tom's contributions in Africa, please click remembrance for a Remembrance of Tom Giddings by the late Ed Bullard, the founder of TechnoServe.   Since its inception during 1990 (the initial fund-raising efforts began in January 1991), the scholarship has been presented annually to the graduating senior from one of the three local high schools who best embodies Tom Giddings' qualities of unselfish leadership and service. Please click winners for a brief description of the former winners.   Now, approximately 320 donors from several countries and approximately a dozen businesses have contributed over $100,000.  The amount of the annual award was originally $2,500 and now stands at $8,500. The goal is to continue to increase the annual amount to keep pace with inflation.

	. TOM GIDDINGS   "What really sets Tom’s life apart … is the extra dimension of his service to others. This is what we want to recognize and remember."     A long-time Peace Corps agency representative said that Tom Giddings' accomplishments in Africa were "the most significant that he was personally aware of."

	Annual Award / Reunion Dinner June 2011   The annual award/reunion dinner for 2011 will be on June, 25th.   CLICK HERE for the menu, RSVP, and directions.  We will see you at the dinner.