Berger and Green has awarded its 2025 Heart Disease Scholarship to Ashley H. Calogero, a student who exemplifies resilience after being born with a rare congenital heart defect that required life-saving surgery hours after birth. The $1,000 scholarship recognizes students living with heart disease who demonstrate extraordinary perseverance in overcoming challenges.
Calogero's journey began with a life-threatening condition that doctors warned would likely require multiple surgeries with uncertain outcomes. Fortunately, one of the world's leading cardiac surgeons happened to be at the same hospital and performed the operation that saved her life. Against staggering odds, she survived with only one surgery, though she grew up with physical scars as constant reminders of her medical struggle.
The scholarship recipient drew strength from her Japanese grandmother's wisdom of "nana korobi ya oki" - fall down seven times, get up eight. This philosophy guided her through significant setbacks, including the medical disqualification from her dream of attending military academy and pursuing a commission as an officer, inspired by her mother's 24-year service as an Air Force physician.
Now accepted to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Calogero is pursuing a degree in Global Security and Intelligence Studies, a program that prepares students to identify and prevent national and international threats. Her academic pursuits align with her continued goal of serving her country, now aiming to earn a commission as an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Air Force and eventually transition to a federal agency.
Beyond her academic achievements, Calogero has demonstrated leadership through varsity tennis, Student Council, Interact Club, and the National Honor Society, where she tutored and supported peers. Her essay for the scholarship application captured her perspective: "If I faced such a major challenge in the first hours of my life, I can do anything."
The Berger and Green Heart Disease Scholarship program highlights the importance of supporting students with medical challenges who show exceptional determination. Calogero's story demonstrates how physical limitations need not define one's potential, particularly in fields critical to national security. Her transition from medical patient to intelligence student represents the type of resilience that benefits both the individual and society through continued service and leadership.
