As a child, Andrew Biondo diligently sat at the front of the classroom at the Italian American Cultural Center excitedly repeating the words he heard his nonni say to him, meanwhile trying to separate those words from the Spanish and Ukrainian he was learning in his weekday classroom.

This fall, Andrew will take his love of learning and his incredible passion for languages, including Latin, to the University of Notre Dame.  Andrew is one of nine honored students, of nearly 20,000 applicants, to be named a STAMPS Scholar.

Stamps Family Foundation funds prestigious merit scholarships at colleges and universities across the United States to “help exceptional students become meaningful leaders throughout society,” according to the Stamps program. Andrew will attend the University of Notre Dame on a full scholarship, sponsored by Stamps and the University Provost, in addition to enrichment funds and additional educational expenses.

Among his many accomplishments during his years at Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, Andrew graduated with highest honors, academic letter, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and National Honor societies. He received several merit and leadership scholarships, including Donnelly, Alumni, and Ike Onwuzurike scholarships.

He was also involved in many school sponsored activities, such as Model United Nations, Warriors for Life, Latin Honor Society, Christ Child, debate, quiz bowl, track and soccer.

Outside of school, he studied Latin in Rome under the PAIDEIA Living Latin program, which he also received a scholarship for his attendance. He was named the 2016-2017 president of the Michigan Junior Classics League at their annual membership meeting and conference. And, he taught an introductory Latin program in Detroit last summer called AEQUORA.

For the past two summers, Andrew has volunteered as a researcher at Henry Ford Hospital studying the effects of bilingual learning on the brain. He presented his findings at the annual conference of the American Academy of Neurology in April 2017 in Boston.

Though he was very active at school and in academic causes, his passion for his accordion is one of his most coveted interests. He took up playing only two years ago and received a scholarship for future lessons from the Michigan Accordion Society in July. During the past six years, Andrew was an altar server at the Italian mass at Holy Family Church in Detroit.  He is also an avid gardener, harvesting tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini in a garden he toiled and planted himself.

When he arrives on campus this fall, Andrew will be a member of the esteemed Glynn Family Honors program which offers intense academic courses to prepare students for elite graduate programs. Only 100 students are selected for this program each year.

Currently, Andrew plans to major in Classics, with a minor in Neuroscience.

Andrew is the son of Dr. Andrew Biondo and Janet Sugameli Biondo.