Scholar Success Stories

The scholarship has also given me confidence as I prepare for the future. Knowing that others have invested in my success has motivated me to work harder in the classroom, on the football field, and in my personal life. The values of service, integrity, and perseverance that the Foundation promotes will continue to guide me as I pursue my goals and seek opportunities to positively impact those around me. Overall, The Max Finney Foundation has taught me not only to strive for greatness and live my life to the MAX, but to slow down and appreciate the community around me.

This fall, I will attend the University of Wyoming, where I will major in Political Science while continuing my football career. I am excited for the opportunities ahead, both academically and athletically, and I am grateful for the role the Max Finney Foundation has played in helping me reach this point. As I begin this next chapter, I hope to honor Max’s legacy by striving for excellence, serving others, and making the most of the opportunities I have been given.

STEFANO - 2026

The Max Finney scholarship did more than just fund my high school education, a gift which however cannot be undermined. However, there have been other, more personal effects on my life. The Max Finney scholarship has had a ripple effect for my whole family. The aid they provided in financing my high school education in turn also helped my parents and siblings in many other smaller yet significant ways. Second, the Foundation surrounded me with great people, both the Finneys themselves as well as the scholars. Being in their presence pushed me to imitate them. Every scholar I have met has been a unique and interesting individual, often inspiring in me both humility as well as admiration. Meeting the Finneys has been a great experience because they are extremely joyful people, and cheerfulness is always contagious.

Next year, I will be studying Chemical Engineering at Rice University. There, I hope to carry with me the impressions of these people with whom I have passed my high school years.

LEONARDO

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, ENGINEERING

If there’s one thing my experience with the Max Finney Foundation has given me, it’s the gift of joy and hope. High school was full of many surprises, but one I never anticipated was losing my father just days before the start of freshman year. That loss affected me mentally, spiritually, academically, and in many other ways. During that incredibly difficult time, the Scholarship and the Finney Family were essential in supporting me. Whether it was through financial aid, the network of awesome guys, book studies, or the annual Scholarship Dinner, I truly felt encouraged and part of something greater than myself. The Max Finney Foundation didn’t just support me—it motivated me to become the best version of myself. Because of the Scholarship, I had the opportunity to attend an amazing school like Frassati. There, I received an education rooted in truth and wisdom, created authentic relationships, took on leadership roles, and most importantly, lived out my faith as a Man of God. Every amazing guy I’ve met through the Foundation has his own story, but we’ve all been welcomed into a family that genuinely cares and wants the best for us. I will never forget the gift that is the Max Finney Foundation and the lasting impact it has had on my life.

 As I turn the page to the next chapter of my life and begin my Engineering studies at Texas A&M University, I will carry with me Max’s legacy, and all the countless experiences that have helped shape the man I am today.

MartíN

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, Kinesiology

In retrospect, my years at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory were the most formative of my life; I was impacted deeply and grew as a man for others. This would not have been possible without the Max Finney Scholarship. The scholarship enabled me to pursue and develop my interests such as wrestling, cross country, and videography. This included a mission trip to Guatemala with my classmates where we served in orphanages and schools. That service trip helped shape me to be a more thoughtful, grateful, and service oriented man. The bi-annual book studies pushed the horizons of my worldview. One of my favorite books was Only the Lover Sings which changed the way I utilize hard work and leisure. The most remarkable experience, however, is the Finney Family themselves and how they inspire myself and the other scholars to live vigorously and relentlessly pursue Christ.

From the fellowship we shared to the service done together, I have been transformed by the Finney Family’s intense love. The Finney community and the lessons they taught me will guide me for the rest of my life, and the burning desire to live vigorously will remain within me.

I will be majoring in Kinesiology at Texas A&M University and I will be joining the Corps of Cadets.

John Robert

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, BUSINESS HONORS

When I found out I received the Max Finney Scholarship my freshman year at Strake Jesuit I knew my life would be changed; however, I did not understand the degree to which that was true. Because of the scholarship, I was empowered to pursue all of my passions both academically and extracurricularly, I was plugged into the network of other scholarship recipients, and perhaps most impactfully, I was made to feel like a member of the Finney family. The scholarship enabled me to invest in my interests such as photography and travel, including a trip to Europe with my classmates where we followed the journey of the 101st Airborne Division in WWII. The bi-annual book study continues to challenge my perspectives and worldviews. One of my favorite books was The Great Divorce which changed the way I view heaven and hell. The most amazing thing, however, is the Finney Family themselves and how they inspire myself and the other scholars to live our lives to the MAX just as Max himself did. Through the stories and jokes, scholar lunches, and annual Lax to the Max tournament, I have been exposed to the Finney family’s unique love. The Finney community will stick with me for the rest of my life, and the burning desire to live my life to the max will never go away.

I hope to continue honoring Max’s legacy at Texas A&M where I will be majoring in Business Honors and a second, undecided business degree.

ATHAN

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, ARCHITECTURE

Receiving the Max Finney scholarship has made an insurmountable impact on my life over the last five years. I can still remember how exciting and humbling it was to receive a phone call informing me that I was going to be a Max Finney Scholar. Though I may have sounded calm from the other end of the phone, I was practically bouncing off the walls with joy.  I was lucky enough to get to meet Max while in middle school at St. Annes. The thing that struck me the most about him was how, even though I was two grades younger, he knew my name and never forgot to say hello when we passed in the hallway. I have always tried to live in a way that mimics this characteristic of Max. Making someone feel known is often the best way to bring Christ to them. This is something Max and the Finney family has taught me and I will carry it with me for the rest of my life. Being a two time recipient of the Max Finney Scholarship, I was able to get to know the Finney Scholarship community very well and it has been crucial in helping me to become the man I am today. The Finney family is doing much more than just giving financial benefits to the scholars. They are providing the foundation for what it means to be a joyful and virtuous man in a lonely and secular society.

I will be majoring in Architecture at Texas A&M University.