Scholarships
The Bob Linn Memorial Scholarship – Sponsored by the Association of Mayors of the Boroughs of PA
Mayor Robert P. Linn (1908 – 2004) was among the longest-serving mayors in the United States. Linn served 58 years as the mayor of Beaver named a National Register Historic District in 1996. Linn was born in Burgettstown and moved to Beaver at age nine.
One of the reasons why the scholarship award is named for Mayor Linn is because he began his career by teaching for six years at Beaver Falls Junior High School. He then joined Duquesne Light Company in 1938. Later, he served the company by working with high school home economics teachers to educate young women on how to “use electrical appliances at home when they got married.” He spent the next 36 years there until retirement in 1974.
In the fall of 1945, Linn was approached by a friend for suggestions for the town’s new burgess, the equivalent of mayor at that time. He ended up as the candidate, and at age 37, ran on the Republican ticket, opposing longtime fire chief Dan Moore. He won the part-time job, and held it for the remainder of his life. His duties involved overseeing the police force, approving ordinances and casting votes to break ties on borough council.
The job was not easy, and had its share of controversy. He opposed locating the new county jail in the heart of Beaver, on the site of the old jail dating to before the Civil War. He also was in the center of dispute over banning outdoor burning in town, and the location of the new Third Street parking garage next to the Beaver County Courthouse. But in all things, he had the town’s best interests at heart. He was always a great supporter of the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation and Historical Museum. In a 2002 interview, he said his major accomplishments in office was starting Streetscape, a town beautification project that replaced concrete sidewalks with red bricks and removed power lines from the main street.
In 1995, the Guinness Book of World Records formally recognized him as the longest-serving mayor in the United States. Said the Beaver County Times, he “didn’t appear in the book, however, because it had already gone to print.” He was listed for the first time in the 1998 edition. On July 3, 2001, he received a letter of congratulations from President George W. Bush.
The Candidate shall:
- Submit a copy of their official high school transcript.
- List all school activities, offices held and dates of such.
- Provide at least two letters of recommendation from:
a. a guidance counselor of the high school where the candidate is currently attending
b. a teacher of the student in the 12th grade - A listing of community service.
- A copy of the admission letter from the college or university where the nominee will be attending.
- An informal letter, for the purpose of enabling the Association’s Scholarship Committee to become acquainted with the nominee; why the nominee wants to attend college and what they expect of a college education.
- The nominee shall be a high school senior who is a son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter, of a current Association member in good standing. Children may be related biologically, adopted, or by marriage . Please be sure to list the name of the mayor and the borough in which they serve.
- There is no requirement that the candidate be either a resident of PA or be attending a college or university in Pennsylvania.
- The scholarship committee maintains the right to use discretion if there are no candidates majoring in public administration which has been identified as the specific area of Association interest.
Please submit the complete application no later than March 12 of the year to:
Diane Smith, Secretary/Treasurer, Association of Mayors of the Boroughs of Pennsylvania
428 North McKean St., Butler, PA 16001
or email to: DianeSmith.AMBP@gmail.com
