CONGRATULATIONS! — Scacalossi Scholar Lilly DeSiervo and her father, PEF member Charles DeSiervo thank PEF President Roger Benson and Region 10 Coordinator Jennifer Faucher for the scholarship, at the region’s delegate meeting in August. — Photo by Bill Sachs
Honors, awards, community service score high with judges
10 gifted scholars earn Scacalossi Scholarships
By KISHA N. JEGEDE
How does it feel to win a $4,000 scholarship? According to this year’s Joseph Scacalossi scholarship recipients, it feels great.
These PEF scholarships mean the students’ achievements are recognized and honored. And, of course, they mean more money for college expenses and less money out of their parents’ pockets.
“I was surprised, but grateful, about not having to spend as much money for college,” said Stonehill College freshman Christopher Madej, whose proud father is PEF Region 8 member Jeffrey Madej, an associate examiner of municipal affairs in the state Department of Audit and Control.
Madej is one of 10 students who received the scholarship named in honor of the late PEF activist Joseph Scacalossi.
This year, the PEF scholarship committee reviewed more than 300 applications. Taking on the tough but rewarding challenge were Charles McAteer Jr., Arlene Koniuto, Mary Lynn Pierce and Socorro Firpo.
They judged applicants on academic achievements, extracurricular activities, community service, honors and awards, and employment. Each committee member rates each application, without knowing the applicant’s identity. The four scores for each applicant are combined and the 10 applicants with the most points are awarded scholarships, which are paid in $1,000 annual installments.
“Every year, it seems the candidate pool raises the standard of quality,” McAteer said.
In addition to Madej, this year’s Scacalossi Scholars are:
• Michael J. Sweredoski of Watertown — “I was really surprised that I won the scholarship,” Sweredoski said. “I found it tough to get other financial help.”
That’s surprising considering Sweredoski’s accomplishments. He was class president, salutatorian, and varsity baseball and soccer captain at Copenhagen Central High School. He graduated from high school with a 98 grade point average and has a 3.72 g.p.a. at Cornell University, where he is beginning his sophomore year as a computer-science major.
He is the son of PEF Region 4 member Darrell Sweredoski, an environmental engineer at the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
• Alison N. Schmalenberger of Patchogue — Alison was vice president of the Spanish Honor Society and a member of the National Honor Society. She spends countless hours writing music and practicing the French horn, but still finds time to volunteer as a Sunday-school teacher at her church, and as a “listener” for children in the Summer Reading Program at her local library.
She is majoring in music education at Long Island University-C.W. Post.
“I was excited when I found out that I had received an outside scholarship and to see all of my hard work pay off,” Schmalenberger said. “I’m proud to be getting something from my dad’s union.”
Her dad is PEF Region 11 member Terry Schmalenberger, a social services Medicaid investigator at the state Health Department.
• Nicholas K. Reul of Clifton Park — “I was excited and honored to receive the scholarship,” Reul said.
The secretary of his school’s National Honor Society, Reul was also a member of the Saratoga Springs Youth Orchestra, a peer mediator, and a member of the Chemistry Discussion group. Yet he, too, makes time for music — studying and playing the oboe. He is beginning his freshman year as a pre-med student at Brown University.
Reul is the son of PEF Region 6 member Miriam E. Kramer, an associate psychologist at the Mohawk Valley Center for Youth.
• Jeffrey Stein of Dix Hills — Stein is a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business where he has a 3.74 g.p.a.
“The scholarship was very unexpected, but I was excited,” Stein said.
A member of both the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society, Stein also played varsity soccer and tennis at Halfhollow High School-East, and was a tutor for elementary-school children.
He is the son of PEF Region 12 member Cathy S. Stein, a nurse 3, psychiatric at Sagamore Psychiatric Center for Children and Youths.
• Meredith J. Ferrante of South Huntington — Ferrante was on the honor roll throughout her four years at Walt Whitman High School. She maintained a g.p.a. of 95, which placed her on the principal’s honor list. She received Cum Laude honors on the National Latin Exam, and was secretary of the National Latin Honor Society, a member of the National Honor Society, and treasurer of the Female Athletic and Academic Honor Society.
“I was very surprised that I received the scholarship, because I knew a lot of people applied,” Ferrante said.
She is studying health at Georgetown University.
She is the daughter of PEF Region 12 member Carol Ferrante, an occupational therapist assistant at Long Island Developmental Disabilities Services Office.
• Lilly V. DeSiervo of Port Washington — DeSiervo said she is “very proud to receive a scholarship from my dad’s union.”
DeSiervo was a peer counselor, and a member of both the National Honor Society and the Foreign Language Honor Society. She is a freshman at Binghamton University majoring in psychology.
Her dad, PEF Region 10 member Charles DeSiervo, is a supervising labor standards investigator at the state Labor Department.
• John N. Pierce of Port Crane — Pierce majors in pharmacy at Wilkes University.
“I was surprised I got the scholarship. I didn’t expect it, but I was grateful.” Pierce said.
He graduated from Chenango Valley High School with a 98.6 cumulative average, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and was on the honor roll. He received awards for being a scholar-athlete and was a selected American Boys Legion School participant.
His father is PEF Region 8 member John M. Pierce, a forensic scientist at the New York State Police Southern Tier Regional Crime Lab.
• Jayan M. Unnikrishnan of Pittsford — Unnikrishnan graduated from Pittsford-Mendon High School in the top 10 percent of his class. He is a National Merit Scholar finalist and a member of the National Honor Society who also finds time to volunteer for a local ambulance corps in Pittsford and at the University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital.
He is beginning a seven-year Honors Program in Medical Education at Northwestern University. He is pursuing a combined BS/MD degree with an undergraduate major in Biomedical Engineering.
“It’s a good feeling to know that part of my tuition will be covered by the union,” Unnikrishnan said.
He is the son of PEF Region 3 member Rema Leela Unnikrishnan, a senior psychologist at Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Services Office.
• Melissa A. Pietrocola of Staten Island — “Not only does this scholarship help me financially, it gives me confidence to pursue my goals,” Pietrocola said.
She has set her goals high — she wants to become a physician — and received numerous recognitions of her high school achievements, including the Borough President Guy Molinari Award, Religious Study Award, Catholic Leadership Award, Excellence in Latin Award and first and second place medals in U.S. Government and Microsoft computers.
Pietrocola graduated from St. Joseph by the Faith with a g.p.a. of 95. She is now a freshman at Binghamton University where she is majoring in human development and education.
Her mother, PEF Region 11 member Deborah Pietrocola, is a pharmacist at South Beach Psychiatric Center on Staten Island.
“The scholarship committee was extremely impressed with the quality of all of the candidates and their dedication to their schools, organizations and academic pursuit,” McAteer said, “They were all outstanding.”