Sastavickas Scholarship

Joseph and Viola Sastavickas and their children used the library for many years. In the last years before Viola’s death they received service in their home through the library's Homebound Delivery service. When Mrs. Sastavickas passed away in 2006, her children made a generous donation to the library to endow a perpetual scholarship in memory of their mother. Continued familial support has raised the 2026 scholarship award to $2,500. The scholarship is to be awarded annually to a current or former library employee or library volunteer for one of the following purposes: undergraduate or graduate school, a formal course of study, or an enrichment opportunity (continuing education). According to her daughter Kathy, the scholarship is a "fitting tribute to our beautiful mother and to the library and staff who treated her with great respect and affection."

An application form is available below. Applications are due by Monday July 6, 2026. The completed Application must be submitted electronically to the Library Director, Clayton Cheever, at ccheever@minlib.net.

Learn about the 2025 recipient below.

2026 Sastavickas Scholarship Letter and Application (PDF)

2025 Viola Sastavickas Scholarship Awarded to: James Caille

James (center) is pictured with Library Director, Clayton Cheever (far left); George Michalec, 2024-2025 Chair of the Board, Sheri McLeish, current Board Chair, and Kate Tigue (far fright), Head of Children’s Services and Chapter Chair of the AFSCME Library Unit at the Morrill Memorial Library.

This year a committee reviewed the applications submitted and selected James Caille to receive the Viola Sastavickas Scholarship for its nineteenth year. This committee included the 2024-2025 Chairman of the Library Board of Trustees, George Michalec; the Chapter Chair of the AFSCME Library Unit, Kate Tigue; and Library Director, Clayton Cheever.

Director Cheever noted, "James has been a delight to have working in the library these past several years as a Page. His quiet reliability and commitment to playing a positive and direct role for others in our community has made a difference here and laid the foundation for a career that will inspire James while empowering him to benefit others."

This scholarship will help offset the expenses James is incurring in their academic journey as they embark on an undergraduate program at George Washington University. Working at the Morrill Memorial Library was James’ first public service experience, and it clearly helped develop a care for contributing to their community. It will be good to see James in the library when he returns to Norwood to visit family. Clayton Cheever enthusiastically supported them, "James is a perfect candidate for this award and will put it to great use in their studies."