Penn State Scranton honored its scholarship donors and recognized the students who received those scholarships on October 4 at a special evening reception at Fiorelli’s, Peckville.
The annual reception is a Penn State Scranton tradition, allowing donors the opportunity to personally award their scholarship to the recipient(s) and meet the students and their families. It also gives the scholarship recipients the opportunity to personally thank and interact with the donors who have funded the scholarships they receive.
“I’d like to thank our donors, who make these campus scholarships possible, and congratulate our students here tonight who are the recipients of these scholarships, said Marwan Wafa, Penn State Scranton chancellor.
He added that this year, more scholarship funds were available to students thanks to the Open Doors Scholarship initiative that provided two-to-one matching of scholarships established from July 1, 2017 through June 30 of this year.
Also adding to the significance of this year’s event was the first round of scholarships given through the newly established Thomas F. Zenty III and Family Scholarship, which is given to students of at least sophomore academic standing and who are enrolled or planning to enroll at Penn State Scranton; who have a demonstrated financial need; whose course of studies is in an area of health care that requires licensure or certification to practice direct patient care; and whose home address is in Lackawanna County.
Zenty, a campus and University alumnus, made campus history when he bestowed a $1.6 million gift to Penn State Scranton to establish two new scholarships for students there. It is the campus’ largest single donation received to date, said campus Director of Development Christine Ostroski, and thanks to a University match, Zenty’s gift totals $3.2 million.
This year, eight students benefited from his generosity.
Scholarships at the campus come from a variety of funding sources, which include private, corporate, and University-sponsored scholarships. Below are the scholarships that were awarded and their recipients.
The 2018-19 scholarships and recipients are:
Scholarships in perpetuity
Donald and Carol Lewis Ames Scholarship: Brianna Clark
John and Patricia Atkins Scholarship: Tatiana Augustin
The Axford Family Scholarship: Kasimir Fantanarosa
Sharon Baldassari Kornfeld Memorial Scholarship: Amanda Giblin
Margaret Briggs Memorial Scholarship: Emily Kempa and Liliana Kettenburg
Violet and Richard Byron Scholarship: Shawn Kane
Al & Patti Cappelloni Trustee Scholarship: Christopher McLafferty, Shanie Mohamed and Jeff Panetti
CINRAM Scholarship: Kyle Wind
Alfred P. (Fred) Ciotti Memorial Scholarship: Zachary Blockberger and Angel Hunting
Janet A. Cottone Memorial Scholarship in Nursing: Maren Lindemuth and Paige Patton
Harry Dickstein Memorial Scholarship: Elizabeth Keddy
David M. and Aleen F. Epstein Scholarship: Nicholaos Panagakos
Eureka Scholarship: Summer Bryla and Kelly Fromert
James D. and Margaret S. Gallagher Honors Scholarship: Mia Laboranti
Gammaitoni-Barnes Trustee Scholarship: Betty Capozzi and Sarah Hoger
James P. and Catherine M. Gilligan Memorial Scholarship: Summer Czekaj and Robert Kennedy
Greater Scranton Jaycees Scholarship: Parth Patel
Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter Scholarship (in memory of George Lesho): Christian Coronel, Logan DiSanto, Alex Langel, Carolyn Mack, Nicola Pugliese and Lauren Rzucidlo
Hahnemann/Geisinger Community Medical Center Nursing Alumni Trustee Scholarship: Winnie Crawford and Elizabeth Olivares Martinez
Dr. Jason J. Hanyon Scholarship: Elizabeth Brandt
Elmer and Louise Hawk Scholarship: Alissa Chorba, Cory Frick , Raymond Kilmer and Kelly Richter
Marie D. and John T. Howe Memorial Scholarship: Jacob Karnick
Frank and Jean Hubbard Scholarship: Jillian Bosley, Joshua Burch, Ryan Ephault, Julie Klocko, Alina Jones, Charles Lamparter, William Schuster, Brett Seidita, Zachary Taylor and Julia Tofilska
Jennings/McDonough Families Trustee Scholarship in Memory of Edward & Ann Jennings and “Big” Jim McDonough: Dominque Jordan and Erika Wheeler
Grace Keen Memorial Scholarship: Jessica Berger and Antonia Corma
Keystone Sanitary Landfill Scholarship: Alexis Dutkevitch and Karli Kozel
Anita and George Lesho Scholarship: Jason Kline
Anne E. Lohmann Memorial Scholarship: Kimberly Stout-Kramer
Albert J. and Catherine Magnotta Memorial Scholarship: Stephen Hineline
Albert J. and Dorothy Lois Magnotta, Jr. Scholarship: Sam Chindemi
Lester and Helen Male Memorial Scholarship: Mihir Patel
Joseph and Dorothy Schnerr Minelli Memorial Scholarship: Dominic Lupini
Gino and Jean Cavalieri Mori Scholarship: Carole Roesnbergen
Primo and Vittoria Ciuferri Mori/Paul Robeson Memorial Scholarship: Kalia Jefferson
Eugene C. (Jake) Mullen Memorial Scholarship: Claire Taylor
Jacquélyn Nichols Memorial Scholarship: Mariah Petrucci
Orr-Ryan Memorial Scholarship: Meet Patel
Winifred and Gerald Payne Memorial Scholarship: Jenifer Kolessar
Clifford and Frieda Powell/William and Angela Freeman Scholarship: Adriana Modesto
The Rice-Butler Family Scholarship: Jared Griffin
Joan B. and Clayton A. Richmond Memorial Scholarship: Jack Meyer
Mabel White Riker & Velma White Memorial Scholarship: Isreal Ficcaro and Matthew Post
Stirling A. & Bess B. Riker and Frank & Cora (Dorney) White Memorial Scholarship: Jacob Lidle and Shivkumar Patel
James & Margaret Rizzo Memorial Scholarship: Connor Fratamico
Maria J. Russoniello Renaissance Scholarship: Ryan Mangan, Alex Mierzejewski and Paige Patton
Nicholas and Diane Scandale Scholarship: James Warnock
Schautz Family Scholarship: Kyle Delhagen, Robert Murphy and Corryn Prince
Scranton Chapter of UNICO: Matthew Giombetti
James T. and Frances Skibinski Memorial Scholarship: Michael Fedorka
William S. (Billy) Soose Scholarship: Tabitha Boyd
Anthony and Linda Sorgi Trustee Matching Scholarship: Alexandra Caramelli and Holly Oppelt
Betty and Armond Strutin Memorial Scholarship: Margaret Kraser
Christopher Sturchio Memorial Scholarship: Stephanie Earle
The Times•Shamrock Scholarship: Thomas Gonzales
Warren and Agnes Thomas Memorial Scholarship: Krina Patel
Thomson Scholarship: Danielle Aiello
David and Joyce Mack Tressler Scholarship: Abby Fairclough
UGI Utilities, Inc. Trustee Scholarship: Edward Andrukitis and Dhara Patel
United Gilsonite Laboratories Scholarship: Benjamin Basalyga
Wells Fargo Bank Scholarship: Leah Byman
John and Helen Villaume Memorial Trustee Scholarship: Gavin Kelly
Wayne-Pike Penn State Chapter Scholarship: Dominic Corma and Morgan Sharff
Dr. Stephen J. and Essie Weissberger Scholarship, in Memory of Harry and Leah Weissberger and Sam and Irene Zilenchick: Ariana Argust
H. Leigh Woehling Memorial Scholarship: Deanne Edwards
WFWB Trustee Scholarship: Ashley Altiery and Adriana Modesto
John Woloschuk Memorial Scholarship: Kevin Solomon
Penn State Scranton Alumni Society Scholarship: Dorian Anderson
The Penn State Scranton Lion Ambassadors Scholarship: Sabrina Gray
Worthington Scranton Memorial Scholarship: Farzana Azizi
Joseph, Sr. and Catherine Zaydon Memorial Scholarship, with their children Dr. Joseph, Jemille and John: Kyle Franceski, Douglas Griffiths and Nicholas Kremp
Edna & Thomas F. Zenty Trustee Scholarship: Kalei Kowalchick and Rachel Salvaterra
Thomas F. Zenty, III and Family Scholarship: Dana Beecroft, Hillary Blake, Taylir Evans, Molly Killian, Marissa McGowan, Britney Reinhart, Richard Szeles and Abbey Walsh
Penn State Scranton annual named scholarships
The following scholarships were created by individuals who have made a five-year commitment to fund scholarships at the official amount required by the University for this purpose.
Champi Family Scholarship: Nicholas Skierkowski
Mary Duffy Scholarship: Julie Maconeghy
The Kato Family Scholarship: Steven Melnikov
Charles A. & Lola D. Sileo Memorial Scholarship: Ryan Choa
The Sheridan Family Scholarship: Paulina Henzel
The Donato and Pearl Telesca Scholarship: Hang Kim Nguyen
James W. and Noel M. Thomas Family Scholarship: Samantha Evanina
Other gifts in support of scholarships are offered as follows:
Ray Alberigi Gift of Scholarship: Kelly Arnold
Louis J. & Raffaelina Borini Memorial Gift of Scholarship: Kenndra Ross
The Blue & White Society Gift of Scholarship: Kenndra Ross
Dunmore Lions Club Gift of Scholarship: Mark Finan and Jared Griffin
Gift of Scholarship in Honor of Verna Saleski: Shannon Talarico
Keith Grover Memorial Gift of Scholarship: Joshua Wagner
The Knowing Nightingale Linda McAndrew Memorial Gift of Scholarship: Kalei Kowalchik
Erich Kurash Memorial Gift of Scholarship: Nancy Richards
The Lady with the Lamp, Linda McAndrew Memorial Gift of Scholarship: Shannon Talarico
Gift of Scholarship in Honor of Nicole Lynn: Kenndra Ross
Jaclyn Mazur Memorial Gift of Scholarship: Shannon Talarico
Penn State Scranton Scholarship: Thomas Kraser, Lauren Manley and Shamus McGuigan
Wafa Family Gift of Scholarship: Christopher Davis
Barnes & Noble Presidential Scholarship: Christian Coronel and Carolyn Mack
Bayard D. And Ethel M. Kunkle Scholarship: Dominic Corma and Jared Griffin
Penn State Scranton Alumni Association Trustee Scholarship: Julia Fessenden
Penn State Scranton Trustee Scholarship: Juliana Aulisio and Belle Bonczkiewicz
Additional funds created by donors to support our students, faculty, and staff:
The Richard F. Dempsey Award in Information Sciences and Technology
The John Dolis International Studies Program Fund
The Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter Athletic Program Endowment
The Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter Faculty Research Fund
The Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter Pride of Lions Award
The Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter Nursing Program Endowment
The Ann Walsh Hawk Program Endowment in Human Development and Family Studies
The Gertrude Hawk Chocolates Service Award
The Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen Science Award
The Linde Family Business Mentoring Program Fund
The David and Joyce Mack Tressler Professional Development Fund
The Richard and Sally Matthews Endowment for Faculty Research and Scholarship
The Marcos Family Program Endowment in Information Sciences and Technology
The Lynn E. Moran Fund for Student Counseling Services
The Richard and Lois Ostroski Award for Adult Learners
The Robert E. and Catherine G. Quinnan Science Endowment
The Penn State Scranton Alumni Society Program Endowment
The Patrick J. Rose Award for Excellence in Leadership and Service
The K. Bruce Sherbine Penn State Proud Award
The Todd A. Sloan Leadership Fund
The Patrick J. and Mary Jane Sheridan Award for Excellence in Financial Services
The Tabatabaie Family Math and Science Award
The Suzanne M. Thomas Chancellor's Discretionary Fund
The Suzanne M. Thomas Undergraduate Research Fund in Science
UNICO Scranton Chapter Endowment in Italian Studies, Heritage, and Culture
The Richard M. and Jean McNichols Walsh Lectureship
The Walter Weber Memorial Award in Theatre and Speech Communications