Ashley Calogero Awarded 2025 Berger and Green Heart Disease Scholarship for Resilience and Academic Pursuits
Ashley Calogero, a congenital heart defect survivor pursuing global security studies, receives the Berger and Green Heart Disease Scholarship for demonstrating exceptional resilience and commitment to military service despite medical disqualification from the Air Force Academy.
Berger and Green announced Ashley H. Calogero as the recipient of its 2025 Heart Disease Scholarship, awarding $1,000 to support her studies in Global Security and Intelligence Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The scholarship recognizes students living with heart disease who demonstrate resilience and ambition, qualities exemplified by Calogero's journey from a life-threatening congenital condition to academic and leadership achievements.
Born with a rare heart defect, Calogero underwent emergency surgery hours after birth performed by a leading surgeon who happened to be at the hospital. She survived with only one surgery despite initial predictions of multiple procedures, growing up viewing her scars as symbols of strength influenced by her Japanese grandmother's advice: nana korobi ya oki (fall down seven times, get up eight). This perspective shaped her resilience, which became crucial when her dream of attending the Air Force Academy was medically disqualified due to her childhood surgery.
Undeterred, Calogero reframed the setback as motivation, stating in her scholarship essay, "If I faced such a major challenge in the first hours of my life, I can do anything." She enrolled at Embry-Riddle, where her program prepares students to identify and prevent national and international threats. Her extracurricular involvement includes varsity tennis, Student Council, Interact Club, and the National Honor Society, where she tutored peers.
Calogero aims to earn a commission as an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Air Force and eventually transition to a federal agency to continue serving the nation. Her story highlights the importance of supporting individuals with medical challenges in pursuing careers in critical fields like national security, demonstrating how resilience can transform personal adversity into professional dedication.