Mr. Ackerson was a resident of Wakefield for 43 years, serving as Wakefield’s Postmaster before becoming a Senior Postal Examiner for the Middlesex-Essex Section Center in Woburn. He was a WWII veteran, serving with the Americal Division. Mr. Ackerson was a member of the First Parish Congregational Church, past President of the 9:29ers, and a former Wakefield Selectman. He was also an ardent boatsman and member of the US Power Squadron.
Mrs. Ackerson, or “Marti” as she was known, was a dedicated career woman well before her time. She was raised and educated in Melrose and received her bachelor and master degrees from Boston University. For 27 years, she worked as the director of Admissions at Lesley College in Cambridge. In her spare time, she enjoyed gardening, reading, and boating with her husband on summer weekends. As the wife of a Wakefield selectman, she also enjoyed her active political life. She was always a benevolent person who quietly gave to many charitable organizations in Wakefield and the surrounding communities.
Scholarship Recipients
2025
- Alexandra Strongosky — Binghamton University
2024
- Aidan Brennan — University of Maine – Machias
- Abigail Coughlin — Quinnipiac University
- Oisin Cullen — Concordia University (Montreal)
- Thomas Curran — University of Notre Dame
- Olivia Dannenberg — University of Massachusetts – Boston
- Samantha DeAngelis — American University
- John DeFeo — University of Massachusetts – Lowell
- Lillyan DeFeo — Gordon College
- Erin Donald — University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Shannon Driscoll — Norwich University
- Lilah Hatheway — Gordon College
- Luke Ickes — University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Jacey Jewett — University of New Hampshire
- Olivia Johnsen — University of Rhode Island
- Rachel Junta — University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Alexa Kelliher — University of New Hampshire
- Brandon Kiley — Michigan State University
- Jill Kiley — Suffolk University
- Panagiota Koutroubis — University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- David LoCoco — University of New Hampshire
- Daniel Mailhoit — University of Maine – Orono
- Jason Margerison — Stonehill College
- Lilia Martin — Merrimack College
- Michael McKean — Northeastern University
- Daniel McNeill — St. Anselm College
- Will McTygue — University of Massachusetts – Lowell
- John Morris — Tulane University
- Brady Murphy — University Of New England
- Matthew Petitto — University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Kayli Porter — St. Anselm College
- Emily Pudvah — Boston College
- Mia Rich — University of Massachusetts – Lowell
- Michael Roberto — University of Massachusetts – Lowell
- Emma Scalzo — Savannah College of Art & Design
- Madeline Seabury — University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Matthew Sellers — University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Chloe Silva — Providence College
2023
- Jaden Blake — Fitchburg State University
- Emma Brown — Southern New Hampshire University
- Eve Buckley — University of Tampa
- Hannah Canavan — Brandeis University
- Madison Cooley — Roger Williams University
- Scott Cooley — Merrimack College
- Liam Cosgrove — Babson College
- Logan Cosgrove — Middlebury College
- Abigail Coughlin — Quinnipiac University
- Isabella DaSilva — Bradley University
- Nathan Delgado — University Of New England
- Amiya Driggers — Temple University
- Tommy Frohlichstein — Boston College
- William Garside — Roger Williams University
- Noah Greif — Boston University
- Jayna Hatheway — Wheaton College
- Anaya Hernandez — Northeastern University
- Ava Imbrescia — Coastal Carolina University
- Leith Jones — Norwich University
- Christina Joseph — Temple University