Welcome

 

Statement of ASF purpose:

 The American Suzuki Foundation exists to help support the students, families and activities of the Aber Suzuki Center.

Overview:

 The American Suzuki Foundation Board oversees three funds, which are used to support the activities of the Foundation.

 

• Margery Aber Endowment Fund: Since 1987, the Foundation has had stewardship of this fund, which has formed the basis of the Foundations awards.
• Kathleen Franceschi Fund: Following the death of cellist Kathleen Franceschi, this fund was established specifically to support ASC cello students.
• Aber Childrens Scholarship Fund: In 1994, Margery Aber established this fund to honor the memory of her parents, Earle and Vina Aber.
• Scholarship support: Over the last several years, the Board has instituted several programs of support for ASC and its students.
• Margery V. Aber Scholarship: The Foundation provides scholarship support for undergraduate and graduate music students at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, for those students studying to become Suzuki teachers.
• Needs-Based Scholarships: Each semester, $3,000 is granted in needs-based scholarships to the families of ASC students, in order to make lessons more affordable. Awards depend upon family income, the number of ASC students in the family and the level of involvement in the ASC program. Proceeds from the Kathleen Franceschi Fund are used to grant aid to cello students in the ASC program. Applications are accepted at the beginning of each new semester of instruction.
• Aber Childrens Scholarships: Once each year, scholarships are awarded from the Aber Childrens Scholarship Fund. These awards are not based upon financial need, but rather on the applying families' practice of the principles of the Suzuki philosophy. Families are asked to respond to a set of questions related to an aspect of Dr. Suzuki's teachings and may be asked to participate in an interview process. Awards may be used to pay for any part of the ASC program, including regular school-year lessons, summer lessons, or the American Suzuki Institute.
• ASI Shinichi Suzuki Teacher Training Scholarships: Since the death of Shinichi Suzuki in 1998, the Board has provided $5,000 each year in support of teacher training at the American Suzuki Institute. In his later years, Dr. Suzuki worked with teacher trainees in Matsumoto, and the Board sought to continue his work here in Stevens Point and provide assistance in the training of the next generation of Suzuki teachers. Exceptional teacher training candidates for the American Suzuki Institute may submit an application as a Shinichi Suzuki Scholar. Awards pay for expenses associated with attending the teacher training portion of the American Suzuki Institute.

Current Board of Directors:

• Kitty Munck, President
• Orsolya Gosztony, Vice President
• Dani Lai, Secretary
• Andy Felt, Treasurer
• Sarah Beversdorf
• John Leek
• Heidi O'Brien
• Claudia Trimarco
• Jeff Morin, Ex Officio
• Pat D'Ercole, Ex Officio