“Music is definitely one of first things that I remember about her when I think about Andi. It was a long running joke that she always had a hickey on her from her violin,” says Arleigh Waring ’05 of her friend and fellow Alpha Gamma Delta Andrea Stanus ’05.

Waring and Meg Munley ’05 ’06G F/S are two Alpha Gamma Delta sisters, among many, who came together to start a memorial scholarship in memory of Stanus. Stanus passed away in 2009. The fund benefits a music student and the group scholarship is on track to be funded for three years.

Waring, Munley and other AGDs were together in New York City in November for Rivalry 150 talking about their 10-year reunion and how much they wanted to do something for Andi.

“We wanted Andi and her family to know that we are still thinking about her,” said Waring.

“Still now, she’s the funniest person that I knew. She didn’t take herself too seriously,” said Munley.

Stanus was an accomplished musician, playing the violin her entire life. At Lehigh, she won the annual concerto competition during her senior year and was the featured soloist for the final concert of the year.

“She was also a scientist at heart,” says Munley. “She was always very curious.”

After Lehigh, Stanus worked in the pathology research department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and she was enrolled in the competitive MD/PhD program.

Word of the scholarship fund spread by email and social media. Alums remembered their time with Andi at Lehigh; many people expressed that they wanted to do something and were excited to be a part of the project. Several donors did not go to Lehigh. The groundswell has been tremendous.

The Andrea Stanus Memorial Scholarship Fund swelled by $2,500 in one day. The fund currently stands at $6,572 from 28 donors. That’s enough to fully fund two scholarships for music students. If the group scholarship reaches $7,500 by June 30, three scholarships can be fully funded.

Next year,  group scholarship leaders will be able to come to campus and meet scholarship recipients.

Andi’s support of musicians and theater was steadfast and her dedication to them and others was very apparent. Waring tells how Stanus was selling theater tickets in Birmingham and called an older patron who didn’t have a way to get to the theater.

“Andi said that she would pick her up. They developed a friendship and Andi ended up playing at the woman’s church,” relates Waring.

You can follow the progress of the Andrea Stanus Memorial Fund on Ignite LU .