Paul Lefty Wennik Scholarship – Beyond Soccer Lawrence

Paul “Lefty” Wennik Outstanding Character Scholarship

In Memory of Paul "Lefty" Wennik

With heavy hearts, we lost Paul on November 26, 2024. As a coach, mentor, board member, and friend, he shaped Beyond Soccer’s mission, programs, and players. From his UMass Athletics Hall of Fame pitching career to his success in the music industry, Paul’s passion for people and community shined in everything he did. Read Paul’s obituary → HERE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Thanks to YOU, Beyond Soccer awards an annual scholarship!

Continuing Paul’s Legacy

Thanks to generous supporters, the Cummings Foundation, and the JPC Foundation, Beyond Soccer reached its $100,000 goal to endow the Paul “Lefty” Wennik Outstanding Character Scholarship Fund, which is awarded every year. Please consider a donation to keep it going.

Donate HERE!

Honoring Paul’s Legacy in Action

In this video by our Impact Coordinator, Declan Murphy, our scholarship recipients share how Paul’s generosity continues to open doors for their futures.

Watch the video →

Scholarship Recipients

In June 2023, Executive Director Stephanie McArdle and Board President Nina Leach proudly awarded the first Paul “Lefty” Wennik Outstanding Character Scholarship to Luiz Lopez, helping him attend UMass Lowell.

The second recipient, Eliany Guzman, is currently pursuing a degree in biology at Northeastern University. Her words, which were highlighted in a front-page Eagle Tribune story, remind us why this scholarship matters:

“Stephanie has seen me grow up, and I’ve seen her grow up with the program. It’s amazing to see how far Beyond Soccer has come.”

In 2025, the selection committee was so inspired by Illeana Fournier and Jacob Calle that we expanded the awards to celebrate both. Illeana is now attending Boston College, and Jacob is attending Merrimack College.

This year, we’re proud to celebrate our fifth and sixth recipients, Arabella Sseyondo and Claudia Aguilar. Two graduating seniors, two very different personalities, and one shared “Lefty spirit.” Together, they’ve spent more than two decades with Beyond Soccer, and both are true go-getters who excel in the classroom, on the field, among their peers, and as mentors to the next generation of players. Arabella has coached and mentored our girls season after season, and Claudia stepped up to lead our summer team this year.

This fall, Arabella heads to UMass Lowell to study business, and Claudia heads to Wheaton College to study nursing. Lefty was a champion for Beyond Soccer, and thanks to him, these young women have grown into leaders and champions in their own right. A heartfelt thank you to the Wennik family for celebrating with us in June.

Learn more about the full Paul “Lefty” Wennik Scholarship → HERE!

Paul “Lefty” Wennik Outstanding Character Scholarship

Read more about our 5th and 6th annual Paul Lefty Wennik Outstanding Character Scholarship recipients, Claudia and Arabella, below!

In Memory of Paul "Lefty" Wennik

Thanks to YOU, Beyond Soccer awards an annual scholarship!

Continuing Paul’s Legacy

Honoring Paul’s Legacy in Action

Scholarship Recipients

Contact Us

To celebrate our 15th Year, all donations will be matched up to $25,000!

Follw us on Twitter!

Beyond Soccer

Thank you to lead partner,

Follow us on Facebook

beyondsoccerlawrence