Maura Soehnlein

Maura Burke Soehnlein was born in Ireland and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. She lived with her sister and brother-in-law in New York while she pursued a degree in nursing (LPN). She paused her education to raise three children in New Jersey with her loving husband, Karl Soehnlein, and returned to college to get her associates degree in nursing (RN) at Bergen Community College (class of ’81). She then went on to earn a BA in Psychology from Ramapo College. Sadly, a few years later Maura passed away after a brief struggle with cancer when she was only 46 years old. She spent her final days in a hospital intensive care unit surrounded by caring nurses. She left a big gap in the lives of her family, friends, community and all those who loved her. She was an exceptional person: warm; friendly and caring with a wonderful sense of humor; an amazing listener, who had a zest for life and a love of people. This scholarship honors the educational path Maura traveled during her life as a way to pass on her legacy of kindness, compassion, and courage to others who are seeking to make a better life for themselves and reach their potential.