The Senator John F. Russo Scholarship to award Ocean County College students
The Ocean County College Foundation has formally established the Senator John F. Russo Scholarship, which celebrates the life and dedication of the late-New Jersey senator to public service and his contributions to integrity in politics, by-partisanship, cultural diversity, civility, and tolerance. The endowment was established with a gift of $100,000 from Mrs. Mary Ann Russo, wife of Sen. Russo. “The OCC Foundation expresses its gratitude to Mrs. Russo for this generous donation, which will assist many deserving, politically engaged, students for years to come. In addition, a special note of appreciation is expressed to OCC Foundation Trustee Stephan Leone for his assistance in acquiring this gift,” said Kenneth J. Malagiere, Executive Director of the Ocean County College Foundation. This endowment will fund scholarships for students actively engaged in the political process and taking political science classes at Ocean County College and/or will be made available as graduating scholarships for those continuing on to a four-year institution to major in political science. To qualify for the Senator John R. Russo Scholarship, eligible Ocean County high school students and/or Ocean County College students should have demonstrated experience with a declared political party and active participation in the political process. Two awards will be granted each fall and spring semester, one to a Democrat and one to a Republican. Awards will be presented to students attending Ocean County College either part-time or full-time with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5. Once awarded, students are requested to enroll in at least one of five identified classes each semester including American Government, American State & Local Government, Introduction to Political Science, Principles of Public Administration, Women & Politics, or other courses that may be offered concerning American, federal, state, county, or local government. “Mrs. Russo and her family can be proud of Sen. Russo’s dedication and contributions to the political landscape in Ocean County. This endowment will help keep his memory and work alive in the hearts and minds of our students, faculty, and staff,” Malagiere added.
(L to R) Kenneth J. Malagiere, Executive Director of OCC Foundation; Mrs. Mary Ann Russo, Donor, wife of Sen. John F. Russo; Dr. Jon H. Larson, OCC President; and Stephan R. Leone, Member of OCC Board of Trustees and Member of OCC Foundation Board.
(L to R) Jerry Racioppi, OCC Vice President of Student Affairs; Dr. Jon H. Larson, OCC President; Kenneth J. Malagiere, Executive Director of OCC Foundation; Zachary James, OCC Student and Member of SLAP (Students Learning About Politics); Ed Bank, OCC Student and Member of SLAP (Students Learning About Politics); Mrs. Mary Ann Russo, Donor, wife of Sen. John F. Russo; Cathy Delanoy, Esq., Daughter of Mrs. Russo and the late-Senator Russo; Sabrina Varga, OCC Student; Joseph Konopka, OCC Vice President of Academic Affairs; and Stephan R. Leone, Member of OCC Board of Trustees and Member of OCC Foundation Board.