Donna Adams Mahaffey & Jean DiLuzio Scholarship Fund
In 2015, the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber Board had a vision to create The Donna Adams Mahaffey Scholarship Fund to celebrate the life and legacy of Donna Adam Mahaffey. In 2023, the scholarship was expanded to honor the commitment of Jeannie DiLuzio who tirelessly promoted the scholarship fund. At the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber, we believe that education puts children on the path to success in life.
The Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber through the Civic Fund expands educational opportunities to higher-education by providing scholarships to upcoming high school graduates from North Springs High School and Riverwood International Charter School. These scholarships instill children with the concept that regardless of their financial situation, they too can receive a higher education. Improving education on a regional scale has always been a priority at the Chamber.
The Donna Adam Mahaffey & Jean DiLuzio scholarship changes lives because this scholarship provides the tools and opportunities children need to succeed to reach their full potential. Until all high school graduates have the opportunity to attend college, the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber through the Civic Fund will continue to empower and inspire graduates to further education, either in College or Trade School, through The Donna Adams Mahaffey & Jean DiLuzio Scholarship Fund.
Donations
Please make contributions to The Donna Adams Mahaffey & Jean DiLuzio Scholarship Fund in person or by mail at the SouthState Bank office at 6000 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs, Ga., 30328.
Please make your checks payable to “The Donna Adams Mahaffey & Jean DiLuzio Scholarship Fund”.
TAX ID:47-3630448
About Donna Adams Mahaffey
Donna Adams Mahaffey was an influential leader and public servant in DeKalb County, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs for over 40 years. She was active in local communities and was involved in prevention programs to help improve the lives of people in need and facing adversity. Donna was passionate about women's education and felt that education was key to breaking cycles and improving the lives of families and their future generations.
Donna served on several nonprofit boards, was an early civil rights proponent and worked extensively on race relations and within communities around Atlanta. She was instrumental in the creation of the MARTA train system, providing accessible public transportation in the Metro Atlanta area. Her leadership with the DeKalb prevention alliance earned her a role as an advisor to Jimmy Carter's Atlanta Project. After retiring from DeKalb county, Donna worked for 14 years as Chief of External Affairs for the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (PCIDs). The Perimeter CIDs provide much-needed transportation and infrastructure improvements in the Sandy Springs/Perimeter area, such as the Hammond exit, the Perimeter Parkway and flyover bridge, plus the state's first diverging diamond. In this role, Donna was instrumental in the project for the I-285/400 interchange reconstruction. Additionally, she volunteered in many Sandy Springs nonprofit organizations.
Due to financial limitations and family commitments, Donna did not immediately attend college after graduating high school. Donna pursued her degree over a span of 30 years. As she was able, she would go to college at night and on weekends while working full-time and raising her family. She earned her degree at the age of 50 and was grateful that she was finally able to complete her goal.
Donna always believed in giving back, pouring into others, and leveraging her influence to help communities. This scholarship has been made possible by the generous donations from people who wish to honor her giving spirit and her dedication to making the world a better place. Her legacy lives on through touching the lives of the recipients of this scholarship.
About Jean "Jeannie" DiLuzio
Jean (Jeannie) DiLuzio was an invaluable member of the Sandy Springs community. She believed in the power of service and made a positive impact on the lives of many. She was active through many officer, board, and volunteer positions. Some of the most recent organizations included Sandy Springs Education Force (SSEF) and the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce’s (SSPC) Women’s Business Network among many other organizations.
Jeannie had a tremendous passion for youth and education, and she was the key driver behind the creation and implementation of the Sandy Springs Civic Fund and the Donna Adams Mahaffey scholarship. Jeannie worked tirelessly with the students that she mentored at Riverwood and North Springs High Schools. She knew it took this special effort to help our most vulnerable students succeed. Jeannie really made a difference in the lives of so many students through the Mahaffey Scholarship program.
The Board of the Sandy Springs Civic Fund believed it fitting to endow a new scholarship in Jeannie's name to memorialize and honor her inexhaustible commitment to the youth of Sandy Springs for generations to come. Please join us in funding this program which will ensure that Jeannie’s work will continue.
Jean pursued higher education at the Pennsylvania State University, where she received dual degrees in Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Chemistry. She also attended a Master’s program in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Tennessee. She went on to have a successful career at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Pennsylvania Power & Light Co., the Institute of Nuclear Power (INPO), and Georgia Power Co.
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