Ellen Nizzi didn’t go to college in her 20s – her dream of pursuing higher education was interrupted by the Great Depression.
At 77, Nizzi finally decided she would get a degree.
Last week, she celebrated her 104th birthday.
Nizzi is one of the three moms who inspired The Mom’s Project – a scholarship program for USF students pursuing undergraduate research in positive aging, substance abuse or nutrition.
It was founded in 2012 by three former USF faculty members – Nizzi’s daughter Catherine Batsche, Mary Armstrong and Roger Boothroyd – in honor of their moms’ passion for undergraduate research.
“The project came about because the three of us all have moms who, at the time, were alive and we were taking care of them at one level or another,” said Batsche, who came up with the idea for the endowment project.
Batsche said the goal of the over $150,000 scholarship endowment fund, in addition to supporting students, is remembering their moms.
“We just kind of combined the two ideas,” Batsche said. “Our two passions: our love for our moms as well as our love for undergraduate research.”
Related: USF alumni-owned Naga Tea comes back to campus permanently
This spring, Caroline Kelley received a scholarship for her involvement with research on positive aging.
Her project, which is led by professor Matthew Foster, studies “marginalized children with autism,” including their background and how to improve their social skills throughout their lives.
The senior language, speech and hearing sciences major said she plans to use the scholarship money to support her project, specifically giving gift cards to the study’s participants.
Kelley received the scholarship in Nizzi’s name.
Nizzi graduated from Eckerd College in 2011 at 90 years old with a bachelor’s in creative writing, earning a standing ovation from the crowd, Batsche said.
Batsche said her mom prioritized positive aging throughout her life, which helped her keep her mind young while her body aged.
“We kind of cast that in terms of positive aging,” she said. “Rather than limiting yourself to what you do or being regretful about what couldn’t happen in the typical time frame.”
While Kelley has not had the opportunity to meet Nizzi yet, this year’s recipient is hoping to do so at the spring banquet for scholarship recipients.
Related: USF achieved record-breaking research funding in the first full year at AAU
Armstong honors her mother, Alice, who died in 2014, with a scholarship awarded to a student studying the effects substance abuse has on families.
Armstrong’s brother struggled with alcoholism, so the issue is close to her heart.
Boothroyd’s mother, Ruth, wanted to be a nutritionist but put off her dream to support her husband when he went into the Marines. She died in 2019.
“The whole purpose of it was to honor our moms,” Armstrong said. “But then we realized that there are many, many mothers who should be honored.”
The group began making additional donations to the endowment when a close friend’s mother died to keep more moms’ memories alive, Armstrong said.
Kelley said the scholarship made doing research at USF possible.
“This really gave me the opportunity to have a foot in the door and get started doing [my research],” Kelley said.
Batsche, Armstrong and Boothroyd met while working in USF’s College of Behavioral Community and Sciences. Batsche was the interim dean at the time, Armstrong was a professor and Boothroyd was a graduate student researcher.
They’ve been friends ever since – so had their moms.
One of their favorite things to do together is go to USF basketball games. Then, one of them had the idea to bring their mothers, whom they began referring to as “the moms.”
“We go to a basketball game, we go out to dinner and it became, ‘Well, let’s do this with the moms,’” Boothroyd said.
Related: USF men’s basketball wins 2OT thriller, AAC honors Abdur-Rahim
Armstrong and Boothroyd are married, and both of their mothers had dementia while living with the couple before they died. Boothroyd said caring for them was both funny and frustrating.
Nizzi played a key role in helping them through the challenges, the couple said. She knew how to engage with them, including writing letters with pictures and conversations.
All three moms would go to the scholarship luncheon before Boothroyd’s mother and Armstrong’s mother died.
Now, it’s just Nizzi and the founders who attend.
Lily Belcher is the managing editor for The Oracle. She's a mass communications and professional and technical communications double major. She started at The Oracle in summer 2023 as a correspondent and worked her way up to news editor. She has been freelancing for local newspapers for four years and hopes to write for a major newspaper following her graduation. Reach her at belcher20@usf.edu
Jordan Brumit is a nonbinary USF student. For Brumit, the removal of DEI programs impacts not only their career prospects but their ability to express their identity. “I already feel overlooked because of my gender identity,” said Brumit, a doctoral student in politics and international affairs. “Now, if I want to go into politics, I’ll […]
Cindy Smock, known as Sister Cindy online, stood outside of Cooper Hall on Tuesday telling students to skip class and join her for the “Ho No Mo” Revolution. Smock, a 66-year-old Christian evangelist preacher, returned to USF this week a year after her last visit as part of her college campus tour throughout the country. […]
Six months after Hurricane Debby forced USF St. Pete to close some academic buildings, Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan still doesn’t have access to her on-campus office. McLauchlan, a political science professor, said she missed a conference presentation because her books and work materials were in her office at the Piano Man Building, which she can’t access. […]
Jonathan Smalenski and Adrian Orozco have been roommates at USF Sarasota-Manatee’s Atala Hall since the fall — except they’re not USF students. The two New College of Florida (NCF) sophomores moved to the residence hall after NCF had trouble accommodating student residents on its own campus. Atala Hall opened in fall 2024 and is USF […]
Stepping into a cycling class, participants wouldn’t expect to be greeted by an instructor wearing a bald cap impersonating Pitbull or a Taylor Swift flag held high as they cycle to “Cruel Summer.” But that’s exactly what they get when they sign up for the concert series class at USF’s Recreation and Wellness Center (REC). […]
Just one year after her last visit, viral campus preacher Cindy Smock returned to USF’s campus on Tuesday to spread her “Ho No Mo” message. Smock, who is also known as “Sister Cindy,” stood in front of students warning them against a party lifestyle and sex before marriage. “Not even for a 2-carat diamond ring,” […]
The Oracle is a student reported, student edited newsroom and needs support from readers like you.
