About MZBP
What is Michelle Zajdel Butterfly Project / Endowment / Scholarship?
The Michelle Zajdel Butterfly Project (MZBP) is a campaign dedicated to raising awareness and money for a scholarship that goes to an unsuspecting student at the University of Pittsburgh. I say unsuspecting because this scholarship does not go to the normal scholarship candidates, but to the less likely. This scholarship goes to the one who has problems and stumbles and falls sometimes, but always gets up, brushes themselves off and is stronger from the experience. This goes to the child that is afraid, but faces those fears with an endless strength and determination. It is given to a person who believes in themselves even when the world doubts them and stays true to themselves regardless of how difficult the challenge.
In order to understand this, let me tell you a little bit about our Michelle. She was a loving, loyal, intelligent child, but was her own person. She did not fit into the stereotypical molds that society set for children or teenagers. She loved to read and imagine and dream. She worked hard and got good grades, but often felt left out and overlooked. She was a caterpillar, just waiting to spread her wings and fly.
Unfortunately, Michelle was taken from us on July 14, 2008, before she was ever able to reach her full potential. It was after Michelle’s passing that the world realized what they had lost. Sometimes you just don’t realize what you have until it is gone. We would like to take this opportunity to find a candidate that shows butterfly potential and give them this acknowledgement in Michelle’s name so that she can be the wind beneath their wings. In a way, this would also be giving Michelle her chance to fly. Michelle was a beam of sunshine in a dark place and we would like to share her rays with another student that could eventually help light the world.
Please donate to our cause and help spread some sunshine. It is our goal to raise as much money as possible in order to help give a caterpillar some much deserved wings. Thank you! Please say a prayer for our angel and take a minute to hug yours. Help support our cause because everyone needs a little sunshine. Thank you.
How does the Michelle Zajdel Butterfly Project/Endowment/Scholarship work?
The Michelle Zajdel Butterfly Project (MZBP) was born from the minds of Michelle’s mother and siblings. MZBP functions as an Endowment Scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh. Here is how it works: a minimum target amount (principle amount) is raised, in this case that principle amount was $10,000. The principle amount accrues interest over time, and that interest is given to a student each year as a scholarship. The larger the principle amount becomes correlates to a larger scholarship amount dispersed to the student or students each year.
We have already accomplished raising the minimum principle amount of $10,000! Now that we have the minimum principle amount raised, our goal is to increase this principle amount so that we can give either more students the scholarship, or give a larger scholarship to one student.
The selection process is unique and one of a kind. MZBP is the only scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh that has a committee made up of students and administrators that decide who gets the scholarship. Applicants that meet the criteria submit an essay of how they have overcome adversity, such as bullying. Applicant names are not revealed to the committee.
As of right now, the scholarship amount is $500. Our goal is to eventually raise enough money to provide a full scholarship for a student that has overcome adversity in their past! To see the criteria needed to apply, and to print out an application please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab at the top of the page.