The Rich Pierce Scholarship for Athletic Training
Rich Pierce began working as an athletic trainer at Westfield State in 1977 and was employed for almost 30 years before retiring in June of 2006. From 1978 until 1995 Pierce was the coordinator of the Athletic Training Program at Westfield State. In recognition of his work for the University, Rich Pierce was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.
Over his long and influential career, Pierce mentored over 125 athletic training students. Some of his most famous students include Don Del Negro ’84, who is the head trainer for the Boston Bruins and Stu Lempke ’88, a former assistant trainer for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Pierce is beloved by his students and one student, Frank Mastrangelo ’90, described him as “an effective mentor with all the human caring qualities and values that any parent would want in an educator, the qualities and values that last a lifetime.”
Impact
“Thank you for your generous donations to this Rich Pierce Endowed Scholarship for Athletic Training, which is allowing me to continue to pursue my passion for Athletic Training at WSU.”
-Taylor Rivers ’20, Athletic Training
“I would like to thank you for your generosity in funding the Rich Pierce Endowed Scholarship for Athletic Training. This scholarship will allow me not only to complete my undergraduate degree but also to work towards continuing my education after graduation. Thanks to your generous support I am looking forward to focusing on my studying and clinical experiences this year to achieve my goals and eventually give back to the profession as well.”
-Valerie Eckenroth ’22, Athletic Training