The Ryan Shay Memorial Scholarship was established in 2008 by H. Joseph and Susan M. Shay ( founders of the Shay Memorial Foundation) in memory of their son Ryan who, at just 28 years of age, passed away from sudden heart failure while competing in the 2007 United States Olympic Marathon Trials on November 3, 2007,  in New York City.  Ryan grew up in the rural northern Michigan village of Central Lake, and graduated as a valedictorian from Central Lake High School in 1997. He earned numerous athletic and academic awards and recognitions as a high school student and distance runner.  He won four consecutive MHSAA class D cross-country state championships in the scholastic cross-country seasons of 1993-1996.  After graduating from high school, he ran for the University of Notre Dame where he became the most decorated athlete in Notre Dame’s history. He became a professional world class runner after graduating, with honors, from the University of Notre Dame, and specialized in the marathon distance.
 

2021 Scholarship not available due to shut down of events for safety of athletes during COVID19 pandemic.

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 ​"Ryan Shay Memorial Scholarship" Recipients

2008   Kari Johnson,  University of Notre Dame  (class of 2012); Villanova, JD (2018)
2008   Michael Haydell,  United States Naval Academy  (class of 2012); University of Bonn, Germany
2009   Danielle Haydell,  Saint Mary's College of Notre Dame  (class of 2013)
2010   Ryan Moore,  United States Coast Guard Academy  (class of 2014)
2011   Jasmine Hines,  Michigan State University  (class of 2016)
2012   Colleen Barry,  Saint Mary's College of Notre Dame ( class of 2016)
2013   Carrick Conway,  Hillsdale College (class of 2018)
2014   Maura Barry,  Saint Mary's College of Notre Dame (class of 2018)
2014   George Thayer,  United States Military Academy at West Point (class of 2018)
2015   Carissa Boni,  Central Michigan University
2015   Haley Patton,  Ferris State University (Class of 2019)
2016   Erika Thayer,  Central Michigan University (Class of 2020) ; Johns Hopkins University Biotechnology
2017 Byron Patton, University of Notre Dame Law School (2018); University of Chicago Law School  
2018 Cybil Ritchie, Finlandia University 
2020 Jaynee Boni, North Central Michigan College