"Get Up Eight": A Young Student's Story of Resilience, Service, and Determination
PITTSBURGH, PA, September 15, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Berger and Green is proud to announce the winner of the 2025 Heart Disease Scholarship, Ashley H. Calogero. Ms. Calogero was recently accepted to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she will pursue a degree in Global Security and Intelligence Studies.
Each year, our firm awards a $1,000 scholarship to a student living with heart disease, honoring resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges. This year's recipient exemplifies the strength, perseverance, and ambition that the scholarship was created to recognize.
"Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight"
Born with a rare congenital heart defect, Ashley faced a life-threatening challenge just hours after her birth. Doctors warned her family that the condition would likely require multiple surgeries with uncertain outcomes. By chance, one of the world's leading surgeons was at the same hospital and performed the operation that saved her life. Against staggering odds, she survived with only one surgery.
Though too young to remember the procedure, she grew up with the scars as constant reminders of her struggle. As a child, she wrestled with fear, confusion, and the feeling of being "born broken." Over time, however, she came to see her scars not as marks of limitation but as symbols of strength — a perspective deeply influenced by her Japanese grandmother's advice: "nana korobi ya oki" — fall down seven times, get up eight.
Ashley has carried that wisdom with her ever since, never allowing setbacks to define her. Each obstacle has fueled her determination to push forward, achieve more, and embrace life as the gift it is.
Resilience in the Face of Setbacks
From an early age, Ashley knew she wanted to follow in her family's footsteps of military service. Inspired by her mother, who served 24 years as a physician in the Air Force, Ashley dreamed of attending the Academy herself and pursuing a commission as an officer.
That dream came with heartbreak. Despite her academic success and unwavering determination, Ms. Calogero's application was medically disqualified due to the heart surgery she underwent as a newborn.
Yet, true to her grandmother's wisdom, Ms. Calogero refused to let the setback define her. She leaned on the resilience that carried her through the earliest moments of life, reframing the disappointment into motivation. In her essay, Ashley wrote, "If I faced such a major challenge in the first hours of my life, I can do anything." Her statement not only defines her journey but also embodies the mission of the Berger and Green Heart Disease Scholarship.
The Pursuit of Lifelong Dreams and Serving Others
Now at Embry-Riddle, Ashley is studying Global Security and Intelligence Studies, a program that prepares students to identify and prevent national and international threats. Alongside her academic work, Ms. Calogero has shown leadership through extracurriculars such as varsity tennis, Student Council, Interact Club, and the National Honor Society, where she also tutored and supported her peers.
Looking ahead, Ashley's goals remain rooted in service. She hopes to earn a commission in the U.S. Air Force as an Intelligence Officer and, in time, transition to a federal agency to continue protecting the nation. This drive to serve, coupled with her resilience, makes her an outstanding recipient of the 2025 Berger and Green Heart Disease Scholarship.
About Berger and Green
Berger and Green is honored to recognize Ashley Calogero as this year's scholarship recipient. Her courage, perseverance, and commitment to serving others embody the spirit of the Heart Disease Scholarship and inspire us all. We congratulate Ashley on her achievements and look forward to seeing the incredible impact she will make in the years to come.
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