Priscilla Consolo, Esq.
CCF College Scholarship Recipient and current corporate litigator, Priscilla Consolo, Esq., fulfills her childhood dream and describes her journey
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From the time I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. However, my path to achieving that dream has not always been clear or direct. Yet, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom from my journey.
I grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and attended public school my entire life prior to college. When I was younger, my father was the sole breadwinner, providing for our family by working as a trash collector. His example instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me to never fear getting my hands dirty – literally or figuratively – to get things done. Being that my mother’s parents didn’t give her a real opportunity to attend college or pursue her own career because she was a woman, my mother always told my sister and I that we could achieve any dreams we chased as long as we stay focused on our goals. Because my mother was our primary caretaker, we learned from her the importance of seizing any opportunity we came across. However, as a single-income household surviving on a sanitation worker’s salary, my parents never had a lot of money. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads, but luxuries were non-existent. My family’s financial situation taught me how to be resourceful and grateful so that over time, I learned not to take anything for granted and how to develop my problem-solving skills.
Belonging to a family of blue-collar workers, neither of my parents and none of my grandparents attended college. In fact, my father never even completed high school, and my mother, due to dyslexia, struggled academically throughout her education. Hence, from an early age, I knew that some odds were stacked against me. But I also was determined to never let those statistics stop me.
Because I knew my parents weren’t going to be able to pay for my college education out-of-pocket, I worked extremely hard in high school to attain high grades. It seemed that my hard work paid off when I was accepted to my first-choice college, Fordham University. As a faithful Catholic, it was important for me to attend a Jesuit education where I would be able to openly practice my faith in a supportive school community. However, when my financial aid package from Fordham arrived in the mail a few weeks later, I was heartbroken; a portion of the tuition would not be covered by my grants, scholarships, or federal loans. My family was expected to somehow cover the remaining balance. I felt devastated.
At this moment, the Columbus Citizens Foundation stepped in and provided me with a four-year scholarship that would completely cover the cost of this balance. Overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would now be attending Fordham, I felt that the Columbus Citizens Foundation was taking a chance on me. The Foundation thought I had the potential to succeed in higher education and beyond, despite my background. As a result, and reflecting on the values my family had instilled in me, I felt a responsibility to work even harder than ever before to show that I was capable of achieving all the goals which I had set out for myself.
Attending a private university, resources were abundant, allowing me to have access to accomplished academics in every field, opportunities to conduct my own research projects, and small class sizes where I would receive individualized attention. I took advantage of every opportunity and potential. As a result, my worldview widened and my knowledge expanded. In this environment, I thrived, ultimately graduating at the very top of my class from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center in May of 2016.
After college, I attended New York University (NYU) Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, where I was a member of the prestigious NYU Law Review and participated in four different internships during my last two years. As a student at one of the highest-ranked legal institutions in the nation, many doors were opened for me that I did not even know existed when I was a little girl growing up at the southern end of Brooklyn; at the beginning of my third year at NYU, I accepted a full-time post-graduate position as a litigation associate at one of the world’s top law firms.
Once I graduated from NYU Law School in May 2019, I relentless studied over the course of ten weeks for the New York Bar Exam. Once again, the lessons my parents taught me proved to be helpful, as I reminded myself that giving up was never an option – I had not come this far to only come this far. My dedication and sacrifices were worthwhile when I received the news that I had passed the Bar Exam on the first try. Only a few months later, in January 2020, I was admitted to the New York State Bar, granting me full license to practice law. At last, I was the attorney I had aspired to be for the past twenty years.
On the day of my swearing-in ceremony, after I stood in front of the court and took a sworn oath to uphold the law, I thought about my family. I reminded myself that it was about one-hundred years ago that my great-grandparents had fled their homeland, leaving all they knew behind for the chance to make a better life in America. My great-grandparents, peasants in Italy, suffered from hunger and lived in dire poverty. They were subject to exploitation and hardship. My grandparents, too, grew up in abject poverty and were raised during the Great Depression. They never had the luxuries we fail to appreciate today, like a new pair of shoes or heat during the winter, and they never had the option because they were forced to work at young ages. And of course, I thought about my parents, too, and all of the wisdom they had unknowingly imparted over my childhood.
Some days, it is still difficult for me to believe that I am now a corporate litigator, working at one of the world’s most esteemed legal companies in the heart of New York City. Some days, I wonder if my great-grandparents, when feeling their homes, ever imagined that they would one day have a descendant who would achieve my level of success. Throughout my journey, I knew I needed to take the lessons I had learned from my family to sustain myself on this path towards success. I knew I had to just keep going no matter the challenges that arose because it wasn’t just about me. It was about those who came before me and those who will come after me. And so, while I work to support those who come after me, I also endeavor in all that I do to honor my ancestors who gave up so much so that I would never have too little. Because they gave up so much, I knew I could never give up, period.
September 10, 2020
Dr. Nicholas Santaniello
CCF College Scholarship Recipient, alumnus of Georgetown University and SUNY Downstate’s College of Medicine
Nicholas Santaniello knew he wanted to go into a career that was deeply rooted in human connection and caring for others because of the nature of his Italian American upbringing. The familial and social culture that his Italian American family embraced showed him the value of caring for one’s community. The son of Italian immigrants from Salerno and Naples, growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, his parents have modeled the type of physician Nicholas hopes to be – hard-working and dedicated, yet compassionate and willing to do what is right for his patients.
Nicholas, as a first-generation college student, feels that getting into college marks the most defining moment in his life. When he was accepted at Georgetown, he says he felt proud that his hard work and his family’s sacrifices had come to fruition. At Georgetown, Nicholas majored in Human Science in Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. After graduating magnum cum laude from Georgetown, he was happy to return to New York City to attend medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, where he graduated first in his class.
Nicholas is now living in Philadelphia and is a Pediatric Resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Reflecting on being a physician during a global pandemic, Nicholas said that day to day the hospital is a completely different environment, with less physical human contact and more barriers to providing care. He notes that the staff at his hospital are all working hard to overcome these barriers, and with proper protective equipment and innovative strategies like telemedicine they are doing their best to keep humanism in healthcare.
In the Santaniello family, there are three CCF Scholars – Nicholas, his brother, and his sister – all three able to get quality educational experiences because of the generosity of our CCF Members and supporters. Nicholas feels growing up surrounded by Italian Americans who understood the value of being part of a community that builds each other up was important to his development, and he is grateful for the opportunities that the CCF community has given to his family.
August 6, 2020
Giovanni Borrometi
CCF College Scholar reflects on his education and study abroad.
Prior to attending Loyola University Maryland, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Asia were parts of the world that my only true understanding of came through pictures I found in my history textbooks. During my freshman and sophomore years in college, I decided to study Arabic—little did I know that this decision would pave the path for me to make life-long memories and finally see the places that I had only seen on the pages of my textbooks.
During the fall of my junior year, I studied abroad in Dubai at The American University of Dubai to further my knowledge of Arabic by immersing myself in the culture. During my time at AUD, I was obligated to leave the country four times on a “visa-run” with my fellow Loyola classmates and we opted to turn them into weekend trips so that we could better explore the countries in the region where we were spending the semester. The four countries that I visited were India, Lebanon, Egypt, and Oman. These obligatory weekend trips turned out to be the most memorable of my study abroad experience, not only because of the places that I saw but primarily the people I met. I made many friends that were just as eager to learn more about my Italian American culture as I was to learn more about theirs. This dialogue was particularly profound being that it provided new insight into their culture as well as dispelled many misconceptions that I previously held.
My two favorite places that I was blessed to see were the Pyramid of Giza and Monkey Village. The Pyramid of Giza was especially memorable as I had the opportunity to ride a camel around the perimeter of the structure and take in the surrounding sights such as the Great Sphinx. In Jaipur, I had the opportunity to go to a place called Monkey Village where I came face-to-face with about fifty monkeys, fed them, and had a few climb on me. On the other hand, Dubai had much to offer in terms of incredible modern feats such as the Burj Khalifa and the ski slope located inside the Mall of the Emirates. Having the opportunity to snowboard down a ski slope inside a mall in the middle of a desert is still something that astonishes me to this day.
In September, I will be returning to Loyola to pursue my MBA as part of the one-year ELMBA program offered by the University. During this time, I plan on securing an internship in the Baltimore area with a concentration in financial services with the goal of gaining experience in the field. Following my graduation from the MBA program, I plan on returning to New York and work in the global wealth management department of an international company.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation has allowed me to travel to places and receive a quality of education that I would not have even been able to fathom when I was younger. Just as the Foundation provided me with financial assistance over the course of eight years during my time at Xavier High School and Loyola University Maryland, I plan on staying closely connected with the Foundation and cannot wait to assist future CCF Scholars.
July 15, 2020
Joseph Cavera
High School Scholarship Recipient and YAA Board Member.
I was the first in my family to receive a scholarship from CCF in 2005 to attend high school, followed by my older brother Robert, who received a college scholarship in 2006, and our middle sister Veronica, who received hers in 2007 also for college. We still have our CCF award certificates hanging in our family home in New Jersey, and the scholarships we received have made remarkable differences in each of our lives.
When I was entering high school, I knew I didn’t want to go to the public high school in my town, but when we looked at Bergen Catholic High School, my parents knew they would not be able to afford the full tuition. We attended one of the open houses, and one of the admissions officers mentioned the Columbus Citizens Foundation and how it helped young scholars. One afternoon, a few months before I would start high school, we received the call informing us I had been granted a scholarship, and my family was in disbelief and completely thrilled.
With my scholarship, I attended Bergen Catholic and learned incredible discipline in one of the top soccer programs in the state, in addition to getting a quality education, which prepared me for college. I was able to go to Stony Brook University, where I later graduated with honors with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, and to Montclair State University, where I graduated with an M.S. in Sustainability Science. During my studies, I met an environmental project manager - and fellow Italian - by the name of Nicholas D’Ambrosio, who served as both an advisor and mentor, who years later would build up his own environmental firm, The Nomad Group, where I now work as a staff project scientist and assistant project manager.
Around the time I graduated from Montclair State in 2015, I was invited to attend the Primavera Social at the CCF Townhouse. There I met Lisa Tarantino, who would become the next CCF Young Adults Auxiliary president, and Anthony Zampolin, a fellow Bergen Catholic alumnus who would become the YAA president after Lisa. After speaking with them and other members, I excitedly joined the YAA, and was a highly active member. When the next elections were held, I made a bid for secretary. Lisa informed me shortly thereafter that I would be serving as the secretary of the YAA for the next two years.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
If you have ever been somewhere and felt in your heart that it was where you were meant to be, then you know how I felt, and still feel, giving back to CCF. The Foundation helped my siblings and I foster academically and in the process, became a second family to the Caveras.
June 1, 2020
Jamie Bianco
A CCF Dual HS and College CCF Scholarship Recipient in her Junior Year at Sacred Heart University Studying Nursing.
Healthcare has been the field of study I have been interested in my whole life as I have always wanted to help others. I am currently a junior at Sacred Heart University in their nursing program. I have been attending clinicals and have had hands-on opportunities, such as witnessing a cesarean section delivery, that is shaping what I wanted to do with my career. The bachelor’s in nursing program has taught me diligence, how to keep my head up, and never give up.
Sacred Heart University has also given me the opportunity to get involved in an organization that is much bigger than myself. I had joined Kappa Delta during my freshman year and it opened so many doors. My sorority works very closely with a program called Prevent Child Abuse America which creates real change in the lives of children nationwide. We raised over $30,000 at our event called Shamrock the Runway last year which went towards supporting St. Joseph’s Parenting Center. We also hold many events with the local Girl Scouts to promote confidence and growth from a young age. Although these events are created for the Girl Scouts, being there and working with them truly shaped me as well. Kappa Delta is something that I did for fun here at Sacred Heart, but it grew to become a very meaningful experience.
The most influential people in my life are my parents. My father has taught me how to be the strong, hardworking, and driven woman that I am today. When I was 11 years old, my mother passed away suddenly, and it was the hardest thing my family had to go through. My father had to take on the role of both parents for me and my siblings and has done the most amazing job. His strength inspires me every day to get through the challenges I face in my life. Although my mother was only with me for a short period of time, she taught me everything I needed to know to be the best version of myself. I am so grateful for how she shaped me into the woman I am today. I think about my mother all the time when I am in school because she had a major influence on who I am today and who I want to be in the future.
My mother introduced me to the Columbus Citizens Foundation when I was in the fifth grade. Since then, the Foundation has changed my life in the most positive ways. When I received a scholarship for the first time, I was so honored because my hard work was getting recognized. I am so thankful for those involved in the Foundation for assisting me tremendously with my finances for my education. The Foundation enabled me to go to St. Edmund Preparatory High school where I received an amazing education and made the best memories. This led me to the nursing program at Sacred Heart University. Because of its exceptional program and all they had to offer, Sacred Heart University was my top choice and if it wasn’t for CCF, I wouldn’t be here. The Foundation guided me on the right path for school, my career, and my whole life. I do not know where I would be or if I would even be studying nursing if it wasn’t for CCF, and for that, I am so thankful.
May 1, 2020
Lauren Calderaro
A CCF Internship at Fiserv and College Scholarship to James Madison University Honors College helped Lauren Calderaro land a job at Goldman Sachs
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From a very young age, I connected closely with being an Italian American. My cherished and close relationship with my Nonno and Nonna taught me that communities and lives are built on the selflessness, generosity and connectivity of the people in them. Experiencing first-hand in my family how our traditions exemplify love, this has allowed me to see how these customs, passed onto me by my parents and grandparents, impact me on an everyday basis. I believe we have a moral responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our communities to uphold these traditions and pass them along to future generations.
I first learned about the Columbus Citizens Foundation through a family friend; right away, I knew I wanted to get involved and join this group of individuals with similar upbringings, morals, and values. I applied for their college scholarship during my senior year of high school and feel so incredibly lucky to have received this award. I am currently a senior at James Madison University Honors College with a major in finance. After graduation, I will be working at Goldman Sachs in New York City.
In one word, the Columbus Citizens Foundation represents “opportunity” to me. In addition to the financial support the foundation has given me in the form of a scholarship, they kickstarted my involvement in the workforce. Through the CCF internship placement program, I interned at Fiserv (formally known as “First Data”) during the summer after my sophomore year of college. Without the Columbus Citizens Foundation, I would not have had this incredible opportunity.
The impact that the Columbus Citizens Foundation has had on me over the last four years is quite difficult to even put into words. I am confident that I would not be where I am today or had the opportunities that I have been given without the generosity of the Foundation. I am honored to be associated with such an amazing group of people and I look forward to staying closely connected to the organization and most importantly, paying it forward to future CCF Scholars.
April 14, 2020
Luke Tortora
A recent UPenn graduate working in the healthcare field shares thoughts on his Italian heritage and the CCF Scholarship he received
I am a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (C’19) where I pursued a major in Health and Societies, minors in Healthcare Management and Neuroscience, and supplementary coursework through Wharton. Currently, I work as an Associate Consultant at Putnam Associates, a strategy consulting firm serving global biopharmaceutical clients, where I have to date worked on engagements supporting cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, along with the global commercialization of several new vaccines. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking Italian cuisine, playing the drums, and drawing portraits.
As I reflect on my time at Penn, I consider how the support I received from the Columbus Citizens Foundation enabled me to avail myself of so many of the opportunities I was provided. At Penn, I was fortunate enough to be involved in several pre-professional and community initiatives. On the pre-professional side, I served as a Project Leader on the Social Impact Consulting Group, a pro bono student-run consultancy. On the community side, I served in several leadership roles and advisory capacities at the Netter Center, Penn’s hub for civic engagement in West Philadelphia. I also was active as a senior staffer for Model United Nations and wrote for Wharton’s student policy blog. CCF’s backing gave me the freedom to explore my passions at Penn, and I am so grateful to have had the chance to do so.
CCF was also instrumental in placing me for an internship after my junior year. I spent that summer working with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, a nonprofit serving peer nonprofits with consulting, placement, and business development services. I spent the summer conducting a market analysis to advise a large community center in Queens on the launch of an after-school program; in short, CCF found the perfect opportunity for me to combine my interests in consulting and civic engagement.
Underpinning my work is a sense of integrity and ethic, which I credit to my Italian heritage, and more specifically to my grandfather, who was (and is) my biggest role model. My grandfather lived the true American Dream: he emigrated from Sicily after the Second World War, withstood discrimination in the States despite having a university education, and rose from humble beginnings working in a laundromat to become the owner of several businesses and a respected leader in his Brooklyn community. In addition to instilling in me an understanding of Italianità, and a love for all things Italian and Sicilian, my grandfather’s struggle and success paved the path for me to pursue my passions. During late nights at school or work, or in times of uncertainty or adversity, the thought my grandfather’s resolve inspires me to soldier on.
My appreciation for the Columbus Citizens Foundation is partly due to how intimately they understand stories like mine and my grandfather’s; it is incredibly encouraging that they continue to support Italian diaspora like myself and seek to promote our rich culture and history. I continue to stay involved with the Foundation through the Young Adults Auxiliary and I look forward to many more years of engagement and community!
March 18, 2020
Francesca Santacroce
A first-generation college graduate reflects on the impact of her
CCF Scholarship and Internship Program
My interest in changing peoples’ lives has heavily influenced my goals, ambitions, and plans to pursue a medical degree after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomolecular Science with a concentration in Biomedical Engineering, at New York University Tandon School of Engineering. My experiences as a woman in a STEM field and a first-generation college student have greatly impacted my personal and professional goals. While at NYU, I was fortunate enough to participate in numerous educational projects that taught me professionalism and gave me a solid foundation in applied sciences, granted through my strong Italian work ethic, NYU faculty, and the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
As a teaching assistant at NYU, I have educated and mentored students from all walks of life with diverse interests. I managed a sector of biomolecular science courses, leading a staff of ten graduate students to efficiently carry out laboratory experiments and fairly grade student reports. I was recommended to be lead researcher after completing my freshman year for a project called “The Staff of Gandalf,” where ultrasound and infrared sensors are incorporated into a basic white cane to safely and efficiently help the blind community. As an avid yoga practitioner and instructor, I designed and co-founded a yoga and physiology course and scientific research conference at NYU to educate the community about the data that supports biological, psychological, and physiological benefits of yoga.
From the start of my college career, the Columbus Citizens Foundation has played a significant role in the professional opportunities I have obtained in my undergraduate and graduate career. I was fortunate enough to become a CCF College Scholarship recipient and when CCF began their internship program, I was offered an opportunity at Weill Cornell Medical College in their ophthalmology department. Then I started an internship with Dr. Joseph Lombardi. There, I learned the importance of patient care, compassionate bedside manner, and clinical procedures. I am now an Assistant Supervisor for Edison Spine Center with Dr. Lombardi at Edison Metuchen Orthopedic Group. I am applying to medical school for the 2021 school year and I aspire to open my own practice in the future.
My strongest influences in life have been the women in my family. My grandmothers, both immigrants from Italy, and my mother are the reasons that I am not only the first woman, but the first person to graduate from university in my family. My mother also suffers from Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, a rare genetic disorder that results in end-stage renal failure. Her strength and determination to wait on the long and frustrating organ donation list inspires me to be patient and unwavering throughout medical school and in my career as a physician. Outside of work and academics, I volunteer as a crisis intervention counselor for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, helping survivors and loved ones of those who have been affected by sexual violence.
I am so honored to be a member of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, not only as a scholarship and internship recipient, but also as a Young Adults Auxiliary member. It is the young people who truly make changes and a difference in the world, and we must support them to obtain educations and solid foundations. Thank you to the Columbus Citizens Foundation, from the bottom of my heart, for the morals by which they stand, and for what they do for young professionals such as myself.
February 10, 2020
Priscilla Consolo, Esq.
CCF College Scholarship Recipient and current corporate litigator, Priscilla Consolo, Esq., fulfills her childhood dream and describes her journey
From the time I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. However, my path to achieving that dream has not always been clear or direct. Yet, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom from my journey.
I grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and attended public school my entire life prior to college. When I was younger, my father was the sole breadwinner, providing for our family by working as a trash collector. His example instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me to never fear getting my hands dirty – literally or figuratively – to get things done. Being that my mother’s parents didn’t give her a real opportunity to attend college or pursue her own career because she was a woman, my mother always told my sister and I that we could achieve any dreams we chased as long as we stay focused on our goals. Because my mother was our primary caretaker, we learned from her the importance of seizing any opportunity we came across. However, as a single-income household surviving on a sanitation worker’s salary, my parents never had a lot of money. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads, but luxuries were non-existent. My family’s financial situation taught me how to be resourceful and grateful so that over time, I learned not to take anything for granted and how to develop my problem-solving skills.
Belonging to a family of blue-collar workers, neither of my parents and none of my grandparents attended college. In fact, my father never even completed high school, and my mother, due to dyslexia, struggled academically throughout her education. Hence, from an early age, I knew that some odds were stacked against me. But I also was determined to never let those statistics stop me.
Because I knew my parents weren’t going to be able to pay for my college education out-of-pocket, I worked extremely hard in high school to attain high grades. It seemed that my hard work paid off when I was accepted to my first-choice college, Fordham University. As a faithful Catholic, it was important for me to attend a Jesuit education where I would be able to openly practice my faith in a supportive school community. However, when my financial aid package from Fordham arrived in the mail a few weeks later, I was heartbroken; a portion of the tuition would not be covered by my grants, scholarships, or federal loans. My family was expected to somehow cover the remaining balance. I felt devastated.
At this moment, the Columbus Citizens Foundation stepped in and provided me with a four-year scholarship that would completely cover the cost of this balance. Overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would now be attending Fordham, I felt that the Columbus Citizens Foundation was taking a chance on me. The Foundation thought I had the potential to succeed in higher education and beyond, despite my background. As a result, and reflecting on the values my family had instilled in me, I felt a responsibility to work even harder than ever before to show that I was capable of achieving all the goals which I had set out for myself.
Attending a private university, resources were abundant, allowing me to have access to accomplished academics in every field, opportunities to conduct my own research projects, and small class sizes where I would receive individualized attention. I took advantage of every opportunity and potential. As a result, my worldview widened and my knowledge expanded. In this environment, I thrived, ultimately graduating at the very top of my class from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center in May of 2016.
After college, I attended New York University (NYU) Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, where I was a member of the prestigious NYU Law Review and participated in four different internships during my last two years. As a student at one of the highest-ranked legal institutions in the nation, many doors were opened for me that I did not even know existed when I was a little girl growing up at the southern end of Brooklyn; at the beginning of my third year at NYU, I accepted a full-time post-graduate position as a litigation associate at one of the world’s top law firms.
Once I graduated from NYU Law School in May 2019, I relentless studied over the course of ten weeks for the New York Bar Exam. Once again, the lessons my parents taught me proved to be helpful, as I reminded myself that giving up was never an option – I had not come this far to only come this far. My dedication and sacrifices were worthwhile when I received the news that I had passed the Bar Exam on the first try. Only a few months later, in January 2020, I was admitted to the New York State Bar, granting me full license to practice law. At last, I was the attorney I had aspired to be for the past twenty years.
On the day of my swearing-in ceremony, after I stood in front of the court and took a sworn oath to uphold the law, I thought about my family. I reminded myself that it was about one-hundred years ago that my great-grandparents had fled their homeland, leaving all they knew behind for the chance to make a better life in America. My great-grandparents, peasants in Italy, suffered from hunger and lived in dire poverty. They were subject to exploitation and hardship. My grandparents, too, grew up in abject poverty and were raised during the Great Depression. They never had the luxuries we fail to appreciate today, like a new pair of shoes or heat during the winter, and they never had the option because they were forced to work at young ages. And of course, I thought about my parents, too, and all of the wisdom they had unknowingly imparted over my childhood.
Some days, it is still difficult for me to believe that I am now a corporate litigator, working at one of the world’s most esteemed legal companies in the heart of New York City. Some days, I wonder if my great-grandparents, when feeling their homes, ever imagined that they would one day have a descendant who would achieve my level of success. Throughout my journey, I knew I needed to take the lessons I had learned from my family to sustain myself on this path towards success. I knew I had to just keep going no matter the challenges that arose because it wasn’t just about me. It was about those who came before me and those who will come after me. And so, while I work to support those who come after me, I also endeavor in all that I do to honor my ancestors who gave up so much so that I would never have too little. Because they gave up so much, I knew I could never give up, period.
September 10, 2020
Dr. Nicholas Santaniello
CCF College Scholarship Recipient, alumnus of Georgetown University and SUNY Downstate’s College of Medicine
Nicholas Santaniello knew he wanted to go into a career that was deeply rooted in human connection and caring for others because of the nature of his Italian American upbringing. The familial and social culture that his Italian American family embraced showed him the value of caring for one’s community. The son of Italian immigrants from Salerno and Naples, growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, his parents have modeled the type of physician Nicholas hopes to be – hard-working and dedicated, yet compassionate and willing to do what is right for his patients.
Nicholas, as a first-generation college student, feels that getting into college marks the most defining moment in his life. When he was accepted at Georgetown, he says he felt proud that his hard work and his family’s sacrifices had come to fruition. At Georgetown, Nicholas majored in Human Science in Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. After graduating magnum cum laude from Georgetown, he was happy to return to New York City to attend medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, where he graduated first in his class.
Nicholas is now living in Philadelphia and is a Pediatric Resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Reflecting on being a physician during a global pandemic, Nicholas said that day to day the hospital is a completely different environment, with less physical human contact and more barriers to providing care. He notes that the staff at his hospital are all working hard to overcome these barriers, and with proper protective equipment and innovative strategies like telemedicine they are doing their best to keep humanism in healthcare.
In the Santaniello family, there are three CCF Scholars – Nicholas, his brother, and his sister – all three able to get quality educational experiences because of the generosity of our CCF Members and supporters. Nicholas feels growing up surrounded by Italian Americans who understood the value of being part of a community that builds each other up was important to his development, and he is grateful for the opportunities that the CCF community has given to his family.
August 6, 2020
Giovanni Borrometi
CCF College Scholar reflects on his education and study abroad.
Prior to attending Loyola University Maryland, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Asia were parts of the world that my only true understanding of came through pictures I found in my history textbooks. During my freshman and sophomore years in college, I decided to study Arabic—little did I know that this decision would pave the path for me to make life-long memories and finally see the places that I had only seen on the pages of my textbooks.
During the fall of my junior year, I studied abroad in Dubai at The American University of Dubai to further my knowledge of Arabic by immersing myself in the culture. During my time at AUD, I was obligated to leave the country four times on a “visa-run” with my fellow Loyola classmates and we opted to turn them into weekend trips so that we could better explore the countries in the region where we were spending the semester. The four countries that I visited were India, Lebanon, Egypt, and Oman. These obligatory weekend trips turned out to be the most memorable of my study abroad experience, not only because of the places that I saw but primarily the people I met. I made many friends that were just as eager to learn more about my Italian American culture as I was to learn more about theirs. This dialogue was particularly profound being that it provided new insight into their culture as well as dispelled many misconceptions that I previously held.
My two favorite places that I was blessed to see were the Pyramid of Giza and Monkey Village. The Pyramid of Giza was especially memorable as I had the opportunity to ride a camel around the perimeter of the structure and take in the surrounding sights such as the Great Sphinx. In Jaipur, I had the opportunity to go to a place called Monkey Village where I came face-to-face with about fifty monkeys, fed them, and had a few climb on me. On the other hand, Dubai had much to offer in terms of incredible modern feats such as the Burj Khalifa and the ski slope located inside the Mall of the Emirates. Having the opportunity to snowboard down a ski slope inside a mall in the middle of a desert is still something that astonishes me to this day.
In September, I will be returning to Loyola to pursue my MBA as part of the one-year ELMBA program offered by the University. During this time, I plan on securing an internship in the Baltimore area with a concentration in financial services with the goal of gaining experience in the field. Following my graduation from the MBA program, I plan on returning to New York and work in the global wealth management department of an international company.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation has allowed me to travel to places and receive a quality of education that I would not have even been able to fathom when I was younger. Just as the Foundation provided me with financial assistance over the course of eight years during my time at Xavier High School and Loyola University Maryland, I plan on staying closely connected with the Foundation and cannot wait to assist future CCF Scholars.
July 15, 2020
Joseph Cavera
High School Scholarship Recipient and YAA Board Member.
I was the first in my family to receive a scholarship from CCF in 2005 to attend high school, followed by my older brother Robert, who received a college scholarship in 2006, and our middle sister Veronica, who received hers in 2007 also for college. We still have our CCF award certificates hanging in our family home in New Jersey, and the scholarships we received have made remarkable differences in each of our lives.
When I was entering high school, I knew I didn’t want to go to the public high school in my town, but when we looked at Bergen Catholic High School, my parents knew they would not be able to afford the full tuition. We attended one of the open houses, and one of the admissions officers mentioned the Columbus Citizens Foundation and how it helped young scholars. One afternoon, a few months before I would start high school, we received the call informing us I had been granted a scholarship, and my family was in disbelief and completely thrilled.
With my scholarship, I attended Bergen Catholic and learned incredible discipline in one of the top soccer programs in the state, in addition to getting a quality education, which prepared me for college. I was able to go to Stony Brook University, where I later graduated with honors with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, and to Montclair State University, where I graduated with an M.S. in Sustainability Science. During my studies, I met an environmental project manager - and fellow Italian - by the name of Nicholas D’Ambrosio, who served as both an advisor and mentor, who years later would build up his own environmental firm, The Nomad Group, where I now work as a staff project scientist and assistant project manager.
Around the time I graduated from Montclair State in 2015, I was invited to attend the Primavera Social at the CCF Townhouse. There I met Lisa Tarantino, who would become the next CCF Young Adults Auxiliary president, and Anthony Zampolin, a fellow Bergen Catholic alumnus who would become the YAA president after Lisa. After speaking with them and other members, I excitedly joined the YAA, and was a highly active member. When the next elections were held, I made a bid for secretary. Lisa informed me shortly thereafter that I would be serving as the secretary of the YAA for the next two years.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
If you have ever been somewhere and felt in your heart that it was where you were meant to be, then you know how I felt, and still feel, giving back to CCF. The Foundation helped my siblings and I foster academically and in the process, became a second family to the Caveras.
June 1, 2020
Jamie Bianco
A CCF Dual HS and College CCF Scholarship Recipient in her Junior Year at Sacred Heart University Studying Nursing.
Healthcare has been the field of study I have been interested in my whole life as I have always wanted to help others. I am currently a junior at Sacred Heart University in their nursing program. I have been attending clinicals and have had hands-on opportunities, such as witnessing a cesarean section delivery, that is shaping what I wanted to do with my career. The bachelor’s in nursing program has taught me diligence, how to keep my head up, and never give up.
Sacred Heart University has also given me the opportunity to get involved in an organization that is much bigger than myself. I had joined Kappa Delta during my freshman year and it opened so many doors. My sorority works very closely with a program called Prevent Child Abuse America which creates real change in the lives of children nationwide. We raised over $30,000 at our event called Shamrock the Runway last year which went towards supporting St. Joseph’s Parenting Center. We also hold many events with the local Girl Scouts to promote confidence and growth from a young age. Although these events are created for the Girl Scouts, being there and working with them truly shaped me as well. Kappa Delta is something that I did for fun here at Sacred Heart, but it grew to become a very meaningful experience.
The most influential people in my life are my parents. My father has taught me how to be the strong, hardworking, and driven woman that I am today. When I was 11 years old, my mother passed away suddenly, and it was the hardest thing my family had to go through. My father had to take on the role of both parents for me and my siblings and has done the most amazing job. His strength inspires me every day to get through the challenges I face in my life. Although my mother was only with me for a short period of time, she taught me everything I needed to know to be the best version of myself. I am so grateful for how she shaped me into the woman I am today. I think about my mother all the time when I am in school because she had a major influence on who I am today and who I want to be in the future.
My mother introduced me to the Columbus Citizens Foundation when I was in the fifth grade. Since then, the Foundation has changed my life in the most positive ways. When I received a scholarship for the first time, I was so honored because my hard work was getting recognized. I am so thankful for those involved in the Foundation for assisting me tremendously with my finances for my education. The Foundation enabled me to go to St. Edmund Preparatory High school where I received an amazing education and made the best memories. This led me to the nursing program at Sacred Heart University. Because of its exceptional program and all they had to offer, Sacred Heart University was my top choice and if it wasn’t for CCF, I wouldn’t be here. The Foundation guided me on the right path for school, my career, and my whole life. I do not know where I would be or if I would even be studying nursing if it wasn’t for CCF, and for that, I am so thankful.
May 1, 2020
Lauren Calderaro
A CCF Internship at Fiserv and College Scholarship to James Madison University Honors College helped Lauren Calderaro land a job at Goldman Sachs
From a very young age, I connected closely with being an Italian American. My cherished and close relationship with my Nonno and Nonna taught me that communities and lives are built on the selflessness, generosity and connectivity of the people in them. Experiencing first-hand in my family how our traditions exemplify love, this has allowed me to see how these customs, passed onto me by my parents and grandparents, impact me on an everyday basis. I believe we have a moral responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our communities to uphold these traditions and pass them along to future generations.
I first learned about the Columbus Citizens Foundation through a family friend; right away, I knew I wanted to get involved and join this group of individuals with similar upbringings, morals, and values. I applied for their college scholarship during my senior year of high school and feel so incredibly lucky to have received this award. I am currently a senior at James Madison University Honors College with a major in finance. After graduation, I will be working at Goldman Sachs in New York City.
In one word, the Columbus Citizens Foundation represents “opportunity” to me. In addition to the financial support the foundation has given me in the form of a scholarship, they kickstarted my involvement in the workforce. Through the CCF internship placement program, I interned at Fiserv (formally known as “First Data”) during the summer after my sophomore year of college. Without the Columbus Citizens Foundation, I would not have had this incredible opportunity.
The impact that the Columbus Citizens Foundation has had on me over the last four years is quite difficult to even put into words. I am confident that I would not be where I am today or had the opportunities that I have been given without the generosity of the Foundation. I am honored to be associated with such an amazing group of people and I look forward to staying closely connected to the organization and most importantly, paying it forward to future CCF Scholars.
April 14, 2020
Luke Tortora
A recent UPenn graduate working in the healthcare field shares thoughts on his Italian heritage and the CCF Scholarship he received
I am a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (C’19) where I pursued a major in Health and Societies, minors in Healthcare Management and Neuroscience, and supplementary coursework through Wharton. Currently, I work as an Associate Consultant at Putnam Associates, a strategy consulting firm serving global biopharmaceutical clients, where I have to date worked on engagements supporting cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, along with the global commercialization of several new vaccines. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking Italian cuisine, playing the drums, and drawing portraits.
As I reflect on my time at Penn, I consider how the support I received from the Columbus Citizens Foundation enabled me to avail myself of so many of the opportunities I was provided. At Penn, I was fortunate enough to be involved in several pre-professional and community initiatives. On the pre-professional side, I served as a Project Leader on the Social Impact Consulting Group, a pro bono student-run consultancy. On the community side, I served in several leadership roles and advisory capacities at the Netter Center, Penn’s hub for civic engagement in West Philadelphia. I also was active as a senior staffer for Model United Nations and wrote for Wharton’s student policy blog. CCF’s backing gave me the freedom to explore my passions at Penn, and I am so grateful to have had the chance to do so.
CCF was also instrumental in placing me for an internship after my junior year. I spent that summer working with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, a nonprofit serving peer nonprofits with consulting, placement, and business development services. I spent the summer conducting a market analysis to advise a large community center in Queens on the launch of an after-school program; in short, CCF found the perfect opportunity for me to combine my interests in consulting and civic engagement.
Underpinning my work is a sense of integrity and ethic, which I credit to my Italian heritage, and more specifically to my grandfather, who was (and is) my biggest role model. My grandfather lived the true American Dream: he emigrated from Sicily after the Second World War, withstood discrimination in the States despite having a university education, and rose from humble beginnings working in a laundromat to become the owner of several businesses and a respected leader in his Brooklyn community. In addition to instilling in me an understanding of Italianità, and a love for all things Italian and Sicilian, my grandfather’s struggle and success paved the path for me to pursue my passions. During late nights at school or work, or in times of uncertainty or adversity, the thought my grandfather’s resolve inspires me to soldier on.
My appreciation for the Columbus Citizens Foundation is partly due to how intimately they understand stories like mine and my grandfather’s; it is incredibly encouraging that they continue to support Italian diaspora like myself and seek to promote our rich culture and history. I continue to stay involved with the Foundation through the Young Adults Auxiliary and I look forward to many more years of engagement and community!
March 18, 2020
Francesca Santacroce
A first-generation college graduate reflects on the impact of her
CCF Scholarship and Internship Program
My interest in changing peoples’ lives has heavily influenced my goals, ambitions, and plans to pursue a medical degree after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomolecular Science with a concentration in Biomedical Engineering, at New York University Tandon School of Engineering. My experiences as a woman in a STEM field and a first-generation college student have greatly impacted my personal and professional goals. While at NYU, I was fortunate enough to participate in numerous educational projects that taught me professionalism and gave me a solid foundation in applied sciences, granted through my strong Italian work ethic, NYU faculty, and the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
As a teaching assistant at NYU, I have educated and mentored students from all walks of life with diverse interests. I managed a sector of biomolecular science courses, leading a staff of ten graduate students to efficiently carry out laboratory experiments and fairly grade student reports. I was recommended to be lead researcher after completing my freshman year for a project called “The Staff of Gandalf,” where ultrasound and infrared sensors are incorporated into a basic white cane to safely and efficiently help the blind community. As an avid yoga practitioner and instructor, I designed and co-founded a yoga and physiology course and scientific research conference at NYU to educate the community about the data that supports biological, psychological, and physiological benefits of yoga.
From the start of my college career, the Columbus Citizens Foundation has played a significant role in the professional opportunities I have obtained in my undergraduate and graduate career. I was fortunate enough to become a CCF College Scholarship recipient and when CCF began their internship program, I was offered an opportunity at Weill Cornell Medical College in their ophthalmology department. Then I started an internship with Dr. Joseph Lombardi. There, I learned the importance of patient care, compassionate bedside manner, and clinical procedures. I am now an Assistant Supervisor for Edison Spine Center with Dr. Lombardi at Edison Metuchen Orthopedic Group. I am applying to medical school for the 2021 school year and I aspire to open my own practice in the future.
My strongest influences in life have been the women in my family. My grandmothers, both immigrants from Italy, and my mother are the reasons that I am not only the first woman, but the first person to graduate from university in my family. My mother also suffers from Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, a rare genetic disorder that results in end-stage renal failure. Her strength and determination to wait on the long and frustrating organ donation list inspires me to be patient and unwavering throughout medical school and in my career as a physician. Outside of work and academics, I volunteer as a crisis intervention counselor for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, helping survivors and loved ones of those who have been affected by sexual violence.
I am so honored to be a member of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, not only as a scholarship and internship recipient, but also as a Young Adults Auxiliary member. It is the young people who truly make changes and a difference in the world, and we must support them to obtain educations and solid foundations. Thank you to the Columbus Citizens Foundation, from the bottom of my heart, for the morals by which they stand, and for what they do for young professionals such as myself.
February 10, 2020
Priscilla Consolo, Esq.
CCF College Scholarship Recipient and current corporate litigator, Priscilla Consolo, Esq., fulfills her childhood dream and describes her journey
From the time I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. However, my path to achieving that dream has not always been clear or direct. Yet, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom from my journey.
I grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and attended public school my entire life prior to college. When I was younger, my father was the sole breadwinner, providing for our family by working as a trash collector. His example instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me to never fear getting my hands dirty – literally or figuratively – to get things done. Being that my mother’s parents didn’t give her a real opportunity to attend college or pursue her own career because she was a woman, my mother always told my sister and I that we could achieve any dreams we chased as long as we stay focused on our goals. Because my mother was our primary caretaker, we learned from her the importance of seizing any opportunity we came across. However, as a single-income household surviving on a sanitation worker’s salary, my parents never had a lot of money. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads, but luxuries were non-existent. My family’s financial situation taught me how to be resourceful and grateful so that over time, I learned not to take anything for granted and how to develop my problem-solving skills.
Belonging to a family of blue-collar workers, neither of my parents and none of my grandparents attended college. In fact, my father never even completed high school, and my mother, due to dyslexia, struggled academically throughout her education. Hence, from an early age, I knew that some odds were stacked against me. But I also was determined to never let those statistics stop me.
Because I knew my parents weren’t going to be able to pay for my college education out-of-pocket, I worked extremely hard in high school to attain high grades. It seemed that my hard work paid off when I was accepted to my first-choice college, Fordham University. As a faithful Catholic, it was important for me to attend a Jesuit education where I would be able to openly practice my faith in a supportive school community. However, when my financial aid package from Fordham arrived in the mail a few weeks later, I was heartbroken; a portion of the tuition would not be covered by my grants, scholarships, or federal loans. My family was expected to somehow cover the remaining balance. I felt devastated.
At this moment, the Columbus Citizens Foundation stepped in and provided me with a four-year scholarship that would completely cover the cost of this balance. Overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would now be attending Fordham, I felt that the Columbus Citizens Foundation was taking a chance on me. The Foundation thought I had the potential to succeed in higher education and beyond, despite my background. As a result, and reflecting on the values my family had instilled in me, I felt a responsibility to work even harder than ever before to show that I was capable of achieving all the goals which I had set out for myself.
Attending a private university, resources were abundant, allowing me to have access to accomplished academics in every field, opportunities to conduct my own research projects, and small class sizes where I would receive individualized attention. I took advantage of every opportunity and potential. As a result, my worldview widened and my knowledge expanded. In this environment, I thrived, ultimately graduating at the very top of my class from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center in May of 2016.
After college, I attended New York University (NYU) Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, where I was a member of the prestigious NYU Law Review and participated in four different internships during my last two years. As a student at one of the highest-ranked legal institutions in the nation, many doors were opened for me that I did not even know existed when I was a little girl growing up at the southern end of Brooklyn; at the beginning of my third year at NYU, I accepted a full-time post-graduate position as a litigation associate at one of the world’s top law firms.
Once I graduated from NYU Law School in May 2019, I relentless studied over the course of ten weeks for the New York Bar Exam. Once again, the lessons my parents taught me proved to be helpful, as I reminded myself that giving up was never an option – I had not come this far to only come this far. My dedication and sacrifices were worthwhile when I received the news that I had passed the Bar Exam on the first try. Only a few months later, in January 2020, I was admitted to the New York State Bar, granting me full license to practice law. At last, I was the attorney I had aspired to be for the past twenty years.
On the day of my swearing-in ceremony, after I stood in front of the court and took a sworn oath to uphold the law, I thought about my family. I reminded myself that it was about one-hundred years ago that my great-grandparents had fled their homeland, leaving all they knew behind for the chance to make a better life in America. My great-grandparents, peasants in Italy, suffered from hunger and lived in dire poverty. They were subject to exploitation and hardship. My grandparents, too, grew up in abject poverty and were raised during the Great Depression. They never had the luxuries we fail to appreciate today, like a new pair of shoes or heat during the winter, and they never had the option because they were forced to work at young ages. And of course, I thought about my parents, too, and all of the wisdom they had unknowingly imparted over my childhood.
Some days, it is still difficult for me to believe that I am now a corporate litigator, working at one of the world’s most esteemed legal companies in the heart of New York City. Some days, I wonder if my great-grandparents, when feeling their homes, ever imagined that they would one day have a descendant who would achieve my level of success. Throughout my journey, I knew I needed to take the lessons I had learned from my family to sustain myself on this path towards success. I knew I had to just keep going no matter the challenges that arose because it wasn’t just about me. It was about those who came before me and those who will come after me. And so, while I work to support those who come after me, I also endeavor in all that I do to honor my ancestors who gave up so much so that I would never have too little. Because they gave up so much, I knew I could never give up, period.
September 10, 2020
Dr. Nicholas Santaniello
CCF College Scholarship Recipient, alumnus of Georgetown University and SUNY Downstate’s College of Medicine
Nicholas Santaniello knew he wanted to go into a career that was deeply rooted in human connection and caring for others because of the nature of his Italian American upbringing. The familial and social culture that his Italian American family embraced showed him the value of caring for one’s community. The son of Italian immigrants from Salerno and Naples, growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, his parents have modeled the type of physician Nicholas hopes to be – hard-working and dedicated, yet compassionate and willing to do what is right for his patients.
Nicholas, as a first-generation college student, feels that getting into college marks the most defining moment in his life. When he was accepted at Georgetown, he says he felt proud that his hard work and his family’s sacrifices had come to fruition. At Georgetown, Nicholas majored in Human Science in Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. After graduating magnum cum laude from Georgetown, he was happy to return to New York City to attend medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, where he graduated first in his class.
Nicholas is now living in Philadelphia and is a Pediatric Resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Reflecting on being a physician during a global pandemic, Nicholas said that day to day the hospital is a completely different environment, with less physical human contact and more barriers to providing care. He notes that the staff at his hospital are all working hard to overcome these barriers, and with proper protective equipment and innovative strategies like telemedicine they are doing their best to keep humanism in healthcare.
In the Santaniello family, there are three CCF Scholars – Nicholas, his brother, and his sister – all three able to get quality educational experiences because of the generosity of our CCF Members and supporters. Nicholas feels growing up surrounded by Italian Americans who understood the value of being part of a community that builds each other up was important to his development, and he is grateful for the opportunities that the CCF community has given to his family.
August 6, 2020
Giovanni Borrometi
CCF College Scholar reflects on his education and study abroad.
Prior to attending Loyola University Maryland, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Asia were parts of the world that my only true understanding of came through pictures I found in my history textbooks. During my freshman and sophomore years in college, I decided to study Arabic—little did I know that this decision would pave the path for me to make life-long memories and finally see the places that I had only seen on the pages of my textbooks.
During the fall of my junior year, I studied abroad in Dubai at The American University of Dubai to further my knowledge of Arabic by immersing myself in the culture. During my time at AUD, I was obligated to leave the country four times on a “visa-run” with my fellow Loyola classmates and we opted to turn them into weekend trips so that we could better explore the countries in the region where we were spending the semester. The four countries that I visited were India, Lebanon, Egypt, and Oman. These obligatory weekend trips turned out to be the most memorable of my study abroad experience, not only because of the places that I saw but primarily the people I met. I made many friends that were just as eager to learn more about my Italian American culture as I was to learn more about theirs. This dialogue was particularly profound being that it provided new insight into their culture as well as dispelled many misconceptions that I previously held.
My two favorite places that I was blessed to see were the Pyramid of Giza and Monkey Village. The Pyramid of Giza was especially memorable as I had the opportunity to ride a camel around the perimeter of the structure and take in the surrounding sights such as the Great Sphinx. In Jaipur, I had the opportunity to go to a place called Monkey Village where I came face-to-face with about fifty monkeys, fed them, and had a few climb on me. On the other hand, Dubai had much to offer in terms of incredible modern feats such as the Burj Khalifa and the ski slope located inside the Mall of the Emirates. Having the opportunity to snowboard down a ski slope inside a mall in the middle of a desert is still something that astonishes me to this day.
In September, I will be returning to Loyola to pursue my MBA as part of the one-year ELMBA program offered by the University. During this time, I plan on securing an internship in the Baltimore area with a concentration in financial services with the goal of gaining experience in the field. Following my graduation from the MBA program, I plan on returning to New York and work in the global wealth management department of an international company.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation has allowed me to travel to places and receive a quality of education that I would not have even been able to fathom when I was younger. Just as the Foundation provided me with financial assistance over the course of eight years during my time at Xavier High School and Loyola University Maryland, I plan on staying closely connected with the Foundation and cannot wait to assist future CCF Scholars.
July 15, 2020
Joseph Cavera
High School Scholarship Recipient and YAA Board Member.
I was the first in my family to receive a scholarship from CCF in 2005 to attend high school, followed by my older brother Robert, who received a college scholarship in 2006, and our middle sister Veronica, who received hers in 2007 also for college. We still have our CCF award certificates hanging in our family home in New Jersey, and the scholarships we received have made remarkable differences in each of our lives.
When I was entering high school, I knew I didn’t want to go to the public high school in my town, but when we looked at Bergen Catholic High School, my parents knew they would not be able to afford the full tuition. We attended one of the open houses, and one of the admissions officers mentioned the Columbus Citizens Foundation and how it helped young scholars. One afternoon, a few months before I would start high school, we received the call informing us I had been granted a scholarship, and my family was in disbelief and completely thrilled.
With my scholarship, I attended Bergen Catholic and learned incredible discipline in one of the top soccer programs in the state, in addition to getting a quality education, which prepared me for college. I was able to go to Stony Brook University, where I later graduated with honors with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, and to Montclair State University, where I graduated with an M.S. in Sustainability Science. During my studies, I met an environmental project manager - and fellow Italian - by the name of Nicholas D’Ambrosio, who served as both an advisor and mentor, who years later would build up his own environmental firm, The Nomad Group, where I now work as a staff project scientist and assistant project manager.
Around the time I graduated from Montclair State in 2015, I was invited to attend the Primavera Social at the CCF Townhouse. There I met Lisa Tarantino, who would become the next CCF Young Adults Auxiliary president, and Anthony Zampolin, a fellow Bergen Catholic alumnus who would become the YAA president after Lisa. After speaking with them and other members, I excitedly joined the YAA, and was a highly active member. When the next elections were held, I made a bid for secretary. Lisa informed me shortly thereafter that I would be serving as the secretary of the YAA for the next two years.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
If you have ever been somewhere and felt in your heart that it was where you were meant to be, then you know how I felt, and still feel, giving back to CCF. The Foundation helped my siblings and I foster academically and in the process, became a second family to the Caveras.
June 1, 2020
Priscilla Consolo, Esq.
CCF College Scholarship Recipient and current corporate litigator, Priscilla Consolo, Esq., fulfills her childhood dream and describes her journey
From the time I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. However, my path to achieving that dream has not always been clear or direct. Yet, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom from my journey.
I grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and attended public school my entire life prior to college. When I was younger, my father was the sole breadwinner, providing for our family by working as a trash collector. His example instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me to never fear getting my hands dirty – literally or figuratively – to get things done. Being that my mother’s parents didn’t give her a real opportunity to attend college or pursue her own career because she was a woman, my mother always told my sister and I that we could achieve any dreams we chased as long as we stay focused on our goals. Because my mother was our primary caretaker, we learned from her the importance of seizing any opportunity we came across. However, as a single-income household surviving on a sanitation worker’s salary, my parents never had a lot of money. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads, but luxuries were non-existent. My family’s financial situation taught me how to be resourceful and grateful so that over time, I learned not to take anything for granted and how to develop my problem-solving skills.
Belonging to a family of blue-collar workers, neither of my parents and none of my grandparents attended college. In fact, my father never even completed high school, and my mother, due to dyslexia, struggled academically throughout her education. Hence, from an early age, I knew that some odds were stacked against me. But I also was determined to never let those statistics stop me.
Because I knew my parents weren’t going to be able to pay for my college education out-of-pocket, I worked extremely hard in high school to attain high grades. It seemed that my hard work paid off when I was accepted to my first-choice college, Fordham University. As a faithful Catholic, it was important for me to attend a Jesuit education where I would be able to openly practice my faith in a supportive school community. However, when my financial aid package from Fordham arrived in the mail a few weeks later, I was heartbroken; a portion of the tuition would not be covered by my grants, scholarships, or federal loans. My family was expected to somehow cover the remaining balance. I felt devastated.
At this moment, the Columbus Citizens Foundation stepped in and provided me with a four-year scholarship that would completely cover the cost of this balance. Overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would now be attending Fordham, I felt that the Columbus Citizens Foundation was taking a chance on me. The Foundation thought I had the potential to succeed in higher education and beyond, despite my background. As a result, and reflecting on the values my family had instilled in me, I felt a responsibility to work even harder than ever before to show that I was capable of achieving all the goals which I had set out for myself.
Attending a private university, resources were abundant, allowing me to have access to accomplished academics in every field, opportunities to conduct my own research projects, and small class sizes where I would receive individualized attention. I took advantage of every opportunity and potential. As a result, my worldview widened and my knowledge expanded. In this environment, I thrived, ultimately graduating at the very top of my class from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center in May of 2016.
After college, I attended New York University (NYU) Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, where I was a member of the prestigious NYU Law Review and participated in four different internships during my last two years. As a student at one of the highest-ranked legal institutions in the nation, many doors were opened for me that I did not even know existed when I was a little girl growing up at the southern end of Brooklyn; at the beginning of my third year at NYU, I accepted a full-time post-graduate position as a litigation associate at one of the world’s top law firms.
Once I graduated from NYU Law School in May 2019, I relentless studied over the course of ten weeks for the New York Bar Exam. Once again, the lessons my parents taught me proved to be helpful, as I reminded myself that giving up was never an option – I had not come this far to only come this far. My dedication and sacrifices were worthwhile when I received the news that I had passed the Bar Exam on the first try. Only a few months later, in January 2020, I was admitted to the New York State Bar, granting me full license to practice law. At last, I was the attorney I had aspired to be for the past twenty years.
On the day of my swearing-in ceremony, after I stood in front of the court and took a sworn oath to uphold the law, I thought about my family. I reminded myself that it was about one-hundred years ago that my great-grandparents had fled their homeland, leaving all they knew behind for the chance to make a better life in America. My great-grandparents, peasants in Italy, suffered from hunger and lived in dire poverty. They were subject to exploitation and hardship. My grandparents, too, grew up in abject poverty and were raised during the Great Depression. They never had the luxuries we fail to appreciate today, like a new pair of shoes or heat during the winter, and they never had the option because they were forced to work at young ages. And of course, I thought about my parents, too, and all of the wisdom they had unknowingly imparted over my childhood.
Some days, it is still difficult for me to believe that I am now a corporate litigator, working at one of the world’s most esteemed legal companies in the heart of New York City. Some days, I wonder if my great-grandparents, when feeling their homes, ever imagined that they would one day have a descendant who would achieve my level of success. Throughout my journey, I knew I needed to take the lessons I had learned from my family to sustain myself on this path towards success. I knew I had to just keep going no matter the challenges that arose because it wasn’t just about me. It was about those who came before me and those who will come after me. And so, while I work to support those who come after me, I also endeavor in all that I do to honor my ancestors who gave up so much so that I would never have too little. Because they gave up so much, I knew I could never give up, period.
September 10, 2020
Dr. Nicholas Santaniello
CCF College Scholarship Recipient, alumnus of Georgetown University and SUNY Downstate’s College of Medicine
Nicholas Santaniello knew he wanted to go into a career that was deeply rooted in human connection and caring for others because of the nature of his Italian American upbringing. The familial and social culture that his Italian American family embraced showed him the value of caring for one’s community. The son of Italian immigrants from Salerno and Naples, growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, his parents have modeled the type of physician Nicholas hopes to be – hard-working and dedicated, yet compassionate and willing to do what is right for his patients.
Nicholas, as a first-generation college student, feels that getting into college marks the most defining moment in his life. When he was accepted at Georgetown, he says he felt proud that his hard work and his family’s sacrifices had come to fruition. At Georgetown, Nicholas majored in Human Science in Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. After graduating magnum cum laude from Georgetown, he was happy to return to New York City to attend medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, where he graduated first in his class.
Nicholas is now living in Philadelphia and is a Pediatric Resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Reflecting on being a physician during a global pandemic, Nicholas said that day to day the hospital is a completely different environment, with less physical human contact and more barriers to providing care. He notes that the staff at his hospital are all working hard to overcome these barriers, and with proper protective equipment and innovative strategies like telemedicine they are doing their best to keep humanism in healthcare.
In the Santaniello family, there are three CCF Scholars – Nicholas, his brother, and his sister – all three able to get quality educational experiences because of the generosity of our CCF Members and supporters. Nicholas feels growing up surrounded by Italian Americans who understood the value of being part of a community that builds each other up was important to his development, and he is grateful for the opportunities that the CCF community has given to his family.
August 6, 2020
Giovanni Borrometi
CCF College Scholar reflects on his education and study abroad.
Prior to attending Loyola University Maryland, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Asia were parts of the world that my only true understanding of came through pictures I found in my history textbooks. During my freshman and sophomore years in college, I decided to study Arabic—little did I know that this decision would pave the path for me to make life-long memories and finally see the places that I had only seen on the pages of my textbooks.
During the fall of my junior year, I studied abroad in Dubai at The American University of Dubai to further my knowledge of Arabic by immersing myself in the culture. During my time at AUD, I was obligated to leave the country four times on a “visa-run” with my fellow Loyola classmates and we opted to turn them into weekend trips so that we could better explore the countries in the region where we were spending the semester. The four countries that I visited were India, Lebanon, Egypt, and Oman. These obligatory weekend trips turned out to be the most memorable of my study abroad experience, not only because of the places that I saw but primarily the people I met. I made many friends that were just as eager to learn more about my Italian American culture as I was to learn more about theirs. This dialogue was particularly profound being that it provided new insight into their culture as well as dispelled many misconceptions that I previously held.
My two favorite places that I was blessed to see were the Pyramid of Giza and Monkey Village. The Pyramid of Giza was especially memorable as I had the opportunity to ride a camel around the perimeter of the structure and take in the surrounding sights such as the Great Sphinx. In Jaipur, I had the opportunity to go to a place called Monkey Village where I came face-to-face with about fifty monkeys, fed them, and had a few climb on me. On the other hand, Dubai had much to offer in terms of incredible modern feats such as the Burj Khalifa and the ski slope located inside the Mall of the Emirates. Having the opportunity to snowboard down a ski slope inside a mall in the middle of a desert is still something that astonishes me to this day.
In September, I will be returning to Loyola to pursue my MBA as part of the one-year ELMBA program offered by the University. During this time, I plan on securing an internship in the Baltimore area with a concentration in financial services with the goal of gaining experience in the field. Following my graduation from the MBA program, I plan on returning to New York and work in the global wealth management department of an international company.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation has allowed me to travel to places and receive a quality of education that I would not have even been able to fathom when I was younger. Just as the Foundation provided me with financial assistance over the course of eight years during my time at Xavier High School and Loyola University Maryland, I plan on staying closely connected with the Foundation and cannot wait to assist future CCF Scholars.
July 15, 2020
Joseph Cavera
Priscilla Consolo, Esq.
CCF College Scholarship Recipient and current corporate litigator, Priscilla Consolo, Esq., fulfills her childhood dream and describes her journey
From the time I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. However, my path to achieving that dream has not always been clear or direct. Yet, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom from my journey.
I grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and attended public school my entire life prior to college. When I was younger, my father was the sole breadwinner, providing for our family by working as a trash collector. His example instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me to never fear getting my hands dirty – literally or figuratively – to get things done. Being that my mother’s parents didn’t give her a real opportunity to attend college or pursue her own career because she was a woman, my mother always told my sister and I that we could achieve any dreams we chased as long as we stay focused on our goals. Because my mother was our primary caretaker, we learned from her the importance of seizing any opportunity we came across. However, as a single-income household surviving on a sanitation worker’s salary, my parents never had a lot of money. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads, but luxuries were non-existent. My family’s financial situation taught me how to be resourceful and grateful so that over time, I learned not to take anything for granted and how to develop my problem-solving skills.
Belonging to a family of blue-collar workers, neither of my parents and none of my grandparents attended college. In fact, my father never even completed high school, and my mother, due to dyslexia, struggled academically throughout her education. Hence, from an early age, I knew that some odds were stacked against me. But I also was determined to never let those statistics stop me.
Because I knew my parents weren’t going to be able to pay for my college education out-of-pocket, I worked extremely hard in high school to attain high grades. It seemed that my hard work paid off when I was accepted to my first-choice college, Fordham University. As a faithful Catholic, it was important for me to attend a Jesuit education where I would be able to openly practice my faith in a supportive school community. However, when my financial aid package from Fordham arrived in the mail a few weeks later, I was heartbroken; a portion of the tuition would not be covered by my grants, scholarships, or federal loans. My family was expected to somehow cover the remaining balance. I felt devastated.
At this moment, the Columbus Citizens Foundation stepped in and provided me with a four-year scholarship that would completely cover the cost of this balance. Overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would now be attending Fordham, I felt that the Columbus Citizens Foundation was taking a chance on me. The Foundation thought I had the potential to succeed in higher education and beyond, despite my background. As a result, and reflecting on the values my family had instilled in me, I felt a responsibility to work even harder than ever before to show that I was capable of achieving all the goals which I had set out for myself.
Attending a private university, resources were abundant, allowing me to have access to accomplished academics in every field, opportunities to conduct my own research projects, and small class sizes where I would receive individualized attention. I took advantage of every opportunity and potential. As a result, my worldview widened and my knowledge expanded. In this environment, I thrived, ultimately graduating at the very top of my class from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center in May of 2016.
After college, I attended New York University (NYU) Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, where I was a member of the prestigious NYU Law Review and participated in four different internships during my last two years. As a student at one of the highest-ranked legal institutions in the nation, many doors were opened for me that I did not even know existed when I was a little girl growing up at the southern end of Brooklyn; at the beginning of my third year at NYU, I accepted a full-time post-graduate position as a litigation associate at one of the world’s top law firms.
Once I graduated from NYU Law School in May 2019, I relentless studied over the course of ten weeks for the New York Bar Exam. Once again, the lessons my parents taught me proved to be helpful, as I reminded myself that giving up was never an option – I had not come this far to only come this far. My dedication and sacrifices were worthwhile when I received the news that I had passed the Bar Exam on the first try. Only a few months later, in January 2020, I was admitted to the New York State Bar, granting me full license to practice law. At last, I was the attorney I had aspired to be for the past twenty years.
On the day of my swearing-in ceremony, after I stood in front of the court and took a sworn oath to uphold the law, I thought about my family. I reminded myself that it was about one-hundred years ago that my great-grandparents had fled their homeland, leaving all they knew behind for the chance to make a better life in America. My great-grandparents, peasants in Italy, suffered from hunger and lived in dire poverty. They were subject to exploitation and hardship. My grandparents, too, grew up in abject poverty and were raised during the Great Depression. They never had the luxuries we fail to appreciate today, like a new pair of shoes or heat during the winter, and they never had the option because they were forced to work at young ages. And of course, I thought about my parents, too, and all of the wisdom they had unknowingly imparted over my childhood.
Some days, it is still difficult for me to believe that I am now a corporate litigator, working at one of the world’s most esteemed legal companies in the heart of New York City. Some days, I wonder if my great-grandparents, when feeling their homes, ever imagined that they would one day have a descendant who would achieve my level of success. Throughout my journey, I knew I needed to take the lessons I had learned from my family to sustain myself on this path towards success. I knew I had to just keep going no matter the challenges that arose because it wasn’t just about me. It was about those who came before me and those who will come after me. And so, while I work to support those who come after me, I also endeavor in all that I do to honor my ancestors who gave up so much so that I would never have too little. Because they gave up so much, I knew I could never give up, period.
September 10, 2020
Dr. Nicholas Santaniello
CCF College Scholarship Recipient, alumnus of Georgetown University and SUNY Downstate’s College of Medicine
Nicholas Santaniello knew he wanted to go into a career that was deeply rooted in human connection and caring for others because of the nature of his Italian American upbringing. The familial and social culture that his Italian American family embraced showed him the value of caring for one’s community. The son of Italian immigrants from Salerno and Naples, growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, his parents have modeled the type of physician Nicholas hopes to be – hard-working and dedicated, yet compassionate and willing to do what is right for his patients.
Nicholas, as a first-generation college student, feels that getting into college marks the most defining moment in his life. When he was accepted at Georgetown, he says he felt proud that his hard work and his family’s sacrifices had come to fruition. At Georgetown, Nicholas majored in Human Science in Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. After graduating magnum cum laude from Georgetown, he was happy to return to New York City to attend medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, where he graduated first in his class.
Nicholas is now living in Philadelphia and is a Pediatric Resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Reflecting on being a physician during a global pandemic, Nicholas said that day to day the hospital is a completely different environment, with less physical human contact and more barriers to providing care. He notes that the staff at his hospital are all working hard to overcome these barriers, and with proper protective equipment and innovative strategies like telemedicine they are doing their best to keep humanism in healthcare.
In the Santaniello family, there are three CCF Scholars – Nicholas, his brother, and his sister – all three able to get quality educational experiences because of the generosity of our CCF Members and supporters. Nicholas feels growing up surrounded by Italian Americans who understood the value of being part of a community that builds each other up was important to his development, and he is grateful for the opportunities that the CCF community has given to his family.
August 6, 2020
Giovanni Borrometi
Priscilla Consolo, Esq.
CCF College Scholarship Recipient and current corporate litigator, Priscilla Consolo, Esq., fulfills her childhood dream and describes her journey
From the time I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. However, my path to achieving that dream has not always been clear or direct. Yet, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom from my journey.
I grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and attended public school my entire life prior to college. When I was younger, my father was the sole breadwinner, providing for our family by working as a trash collector. His example instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me to never fear getting my hands dirty – literally or figuratively – to get things done. Being that my mother’s parents didn’t give her a real opportunity to attend college or pursue her own career because she was a woman, my mother always told my sister and I that we could achieve any dreams we chased as long as we stay focused on our goals. Because my mother was our primary caretaker, we learned from her the importance of seizing any opportunity we came across. However, as a single-income household surviving on a sanitation worker’s salary, my parents never had a lot of money. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads, but luxuries were non-existent. My family’s financial situation taught me how to be resourceful and grateful so that over time, I learned not to take anything for granted and how to develop my problem-solving skills.
Belonging to a family of blue-collar workers, neither of my parents and none of my grandparents attended college. In fact, my father never even completed high school, and my mother, due to dyslexia, struggled academically throughout her education. Hence, from an early age, I knew that some odds were stacked against me. But I also was determined to never let those statistics stop me.
Because I knew my parents weren’t going to be able to pay for my college education out-of-pocket, I worked extremely hard in high school to attain high grades. It seemed that my hard work paid off when I was accepted to my first-choice college, Fordham University. As a faithful Catholic, it was important for me to attend a Jesuit education where I would be able to openly practice my faith in a supportive school community. However, when my financial aid package from Fordham arrived in the mail a few weeks later, I was heartbroken; a portion of the tuition would not be covered by my grants, scholarships, or federal loans. My family was expected to somehow cover the remaining balance. I felt devastated.
At this moment, the Columbus Citizens Foundation stepped in and provided me with a four-year scholarship that would completely cover the cost of this balance. Overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would now be attending Fordham, I felt that the Columbus Citizens Foundation was taking a chance on me. The Foundation thought I had the potential to succeed in higher education and beyond, despite my background. As a result, and reflecting on the values my family had instilled in me, I felt a responsibility to work even harder than ever before to show that I was capable of achieving all the goals which I had set out for myself.
Attending a private university, resources were abundant, allowing me to have access to accomplished academics in every field, opportunities to conduct my own research projects, and small class sizes where I would receive individualized attention. I took advantage of every opportunity and potential. As a result, my worldview widened and my knowledge expanded. In this environment, I thrived, ultimately graduating at the very top of my class from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center in May of 2016.
After college, I attended New York University (NYU) Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, where I was a member of the prestigious NYU Law Review and participated in four different internships during my last two years. As a student at one of the highest-ranked legal institutions in the nation, many doors were opened for me that I did not even know existed when I was a little girl growing up at the southern end of Brooklyn; at the beginning of my third year at NYU, I accepted a full-time post-graduate position as a litigation associate at one of the world’s top law firms.
Once I graduated from NYU Law School in May 2019, I relentless studied over the course of ten weeks for the New York Bar Exam. Once again, the lessons my parents taught me proved to be helpful, as I reminded myself that giving up was never an option – I had not come this far to only come this far. My dedication and sacrifices were worthwhile when I received the news that I had passed the Bar Exam on the first try. Only a few months later, in January 2020, I was admitted to the New York State Bar, granting me full license to practice law. At last, I was the attorney I had aspired to be for the past twenty years.
On the day of my swearing-in ceremony, after I stood in front of the court and took a sworn oath to uphold the law, I thought about my family. I reminded myself that it was about one-hundred years ago that my great-grandparents had fled their homeland, leaving all they knew behind for the chance to make a better life in America. My great-grandparents, peasants in Italy, suffered from hunger and lived in dire poverty. They were subject to exploitation and hardship. My grandparents, too, grew up in abject poverty and were raised during the Great Depression. They never had the luxuries we fail to appreciate today, like a new pair of shoes or heat during the winter, and they never had the option because they were forced to work at young ages. And of course, I thought about my parents, too, and all of the wisdom they had unknowingly imparted over my childhood.
Some days, it is still difficult for me to believe that I am now a corporate litigator, working at one of the world’s most esteemed legal companies in the heart of New York City. Some days, I wonder if my great-grandparents, when feeling their homes, ever imagined that they would one day have a descendant who would achieve my level of success. Throughout my journey, I knew I needed to take the lessons I had learned from my family to sustain myself on this path towards success. I knew I had to just keep going no matter the challenges that arose because it wasn’t just about me. It was about those who came before me and those who will come after me. And so, while I work to support those who come after me, I also endeavor in all that I do to honor my ancestors who gave up so much so that I would never have too little. Because they gave up so much, I knew I could never give up, period.
September 10, 2020
Dr. Nicholas Santaniello
Priscilla Consolo, Esq.
CCF College Scholarship Recipient and current corporate litigator, Priscilla Consolo, Esq., fulfills her childhood dream and describes her journey
From the time I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. However, my path to achieving that dream has not always been clear or direct. Yet, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom from my journey.
I grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and attended public school my entire life prior to college. When I was younger, my father was the sole breadwinner, providing for our family by working as a trash collector. His example instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me to never fear getting my hands dirty – literally or figuratively – to get things done. Being that my mother’s parents didn’t give her a real opportunity to attend college or pursue her own career because she was a woman, my mother always told my sister and I that we could achieve any dreams we chased as long as we stay focused on our goals. Because my mother was our primary caretaker, we learned from her the importance of seizing any opportunity we came across. However, as a single-income household surviving on a sanitation worker’s salary, my parents never had a lot of money. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads, but luxuries were non-existent. My family’s financial situation taught me how to be resourceful and grateful so that over time, I learned not to take anything for granted and how to develop my problem-solving skills.
Belonging to a family of blue-collar workers, neither of my parents and none of my grandparents attended college. In fact, my father never even completed high school, and my mother, due to dyslexia, struggled academically throughout her education. Hence, from an early age, I knew that some odds were stacked against me. But I also was determined to never let those statistics stop me.
Because I knew my parents weren’t going to be able to pay for my college education out-of-pocket, I worked extremely hard in high school to attain high grades. It seemed that my hard work paid off when I was accepted to my first-choice college, Fordham University. As a faithful Catholic, it was important for me to attend a Jesuit education where I would be able to openly practice my faith in a supportive school community. However, when my financial aid package from Fordham arrived in the mail a few weeks later, I was heartbroken; a portion of the tuition would not be covered by my grants, scholarships, or federal loans. My family was expected to somehow cover the remaining balance. I felt devastated.
At this moment, the Columbus Citizens Foundation stepped in and provided me with a four-year scholarship that would completely cover the cost of this balance. Overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would now be attending Fordham, I felt that the Columbus Citizens Foundation was taking a chance on me. The Foundation thought I had the potential to succeed in higher education and beyond, despite my background. As a result, and reflecting on the values my family had instilled in me, I felt a responsibility to work even harder than ever before to show that I was capable of achieving all the goals which I had set out for myself.
Attending a private university, resources were abundant, allowing me to have access to accomplished academics in every field, opportunities to conduct my own research projects, and small class sizes where I would receive individualized attention. I took advantage of every opportunity and potential. As a result, my worldview widened and my knowledge expanded. In this environment, I thrived, ultimately graduating at the very top of my class from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center in May of 2016.
After college, I attended New York University (NYU) Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, where I was a member of the prestigious NYU Law Review and participated in four different internships during my last two years. As a student at one of the highest-ranked legal institutions in the nation, many doors were opened for me that I did not even know existed when I was a little girl growing up at the southern end of Brooklyn; at the beginning of my third year at NYU, I accepted a full-time post-graduate position as a litigation associate at one of the world’s top law firms.
Once I graduated from NYU Law School in May 2019, I relentless studied over the course of ten weeks for the New York Bar Exam. Once again, the lessons my parents taught me proved to be helpful, as I reminded myself that giving up was never an option – I had not come this far to only come this far. My dedication and sacrifices were worthwhile when I received the news that I had passed the Bar Exam on the first try. Only a few months later, in January 2020, I was admitted to the New York State Bar, granting me full license to practice law. At last, I was the attorney I had aspired to be for the past twenty years.
On the day of my swearing-in ceremony, after I stood in front of the court and took a sworn oath to uphold the law, I thought about my family. I reminded myself that it was about one-hundred years ago that my great-grandparents had fled their homeland, leaving all they knew behind for the chance to make a better life in America. My great-grandparents, peasants in Italy, suffered from hunger and lived in dire poverty. They were subject to exploitation and hardship. My grandparents, too, grew up in abject poverty and were raised during the Great Depression. They never had the luxuries we fail to appreciate today, like a new pair of shoes or heat during the winter, and they never had the option because they were forced to work at young ages. And of course, I thought about my parents, too, and all of the wisdom they had unknowingly imparted over my childhood.
Some days, it is still difficult for me to believe that I am now a corporate litigator, working at one of the world’s most esteemed legal companies in the heart of New York City. Some days, I wonder if my great-grandparents, when feeling their homes, ever imagined that they would one day have a descendant who would achieve my level of success. Throughout my journey, I knew I needed to take the lessons I had learned from my family to sustain myself on this path towards success. I knew I had to just keep going no matter the challenges that arose because it wasn’t just about me. It was about those who came before me and those who will come after me. And so, while I work to support those who come after me, I also endeavor in all that I do to honor my ancestors who gave up so much so that I would never have too little. Because they gave up so much, I knew I could never give up, period.
From the time I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. However, my path to achieving that dream has not always been clear or direct. Yet, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom from my journey.
I grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and attended public school my entire life prior to college. When I was younger, my father was the sole breadwinner, providing for our family by working as a trash collector. His example instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me to never fear getting my hands dirty – literally or figuratively – to get things done. Being that my mother’s parents didn’t give her a real opportunity to attend college or pursue her own career because she was a woman, my mother always told my sister and I that we could achieve any dreams we chased as long as we stay focused on our goals. Because my mother was our primary caretaker, we learned from her the importance of seizing any opportunity we came across. However, as a single-income household surviving on a sanitation worker’s salary, my parents never had a lot of money. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads, but luxuries were non-existent. My family’s financial situation taught me how to be resourceful and grateful so that over time, I learned not to take anything for granted and how to develop my problem-solving skills.
Belonging to a family of blue-collar workers, neither of my parents and none of my grandparents attended college. In fact, my father never even completed high school, and my mother, due to dyslexia, struggled academically throughout her education. Hence, from an early age, I knew that some odds were stacked against me. But I also was determined to never let those statistics stop me.
Because I knew my parents weren’t going to be able to pay for my college education out-of-pocket, I worked extremely hard in high school to attain high grades. It seemed that my hard work paid off when I was accepted to my first-choice college, Fordham University. As a faithful Catholic, it was important for me to attend a Jesuit education where I would be able to openly practice my faith in a supportive school community. However, when my financial aid package from Fordham arrived in the mail a few weeks later, I was heartbroken; a portion of the tuition would not be covered by my grants, scholarships, or federal loans. My family was expected to somehow cover the remaining balance. I felt devastated.
At this moment, the Columbus Citizens Foundation stepped in and provided me with a four-year scholarship that would completely cover the cost of this balance. Overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would now be attending Fordham, I felt that the Columbus Citizens Foundation was taking a chance on me. The Foundation thought I had the potential to succeed in higher education and beyond, despite my background. As a result, and reflecting on the values my family had instilled in me, I felt a responsibility to work even harder than ever before to show that I was capable of achieving all the goals which I had set out for myself.
Attending a private university, resources were abundant, allowing me to have access to accomplished academics in every field, opportunities to conduct my own research projects, and small class sizes where I would receive individualized attention. I took advantage of every opportunity and potential. As a result, my worldview widened and my knowledge expanded. In this environment, I thrived, ultimately graduating at the very top of my class from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center in May of 2016.
After college, I attended New York University (NYU) Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, where I was a member of the prestigious NYU Law Review and participated in four different internships during my last two years. As a student at one of the highest-ranked legal institutions in the nation, many doors were opened for me that I did not even know existed when I was a little girl growing up at the southern end of Brooklyn; at the beginning of my third year at NYU, I accepted a full-time post-graduate position as a litigation associate at one of the world’s top law firms.
Once I graduated from NYU Law School in May 2019, I relentless studied over the course of ten weeks for the New York Bar Exam. Once again, the lessons my parents taught me proved to be helpful, as I reminded myself that giving up was never an option – I had not come this far to only come this far. My dedication and sacrifices were worthwhile when I received the news that I had passed the Bar Exam on the first try. Only a few months later, in January 2020, I was admitted to the New York State Bar, granting me full license to practice law. At last, I was the attorney I had aspired to be for the past twenty years.
On the day of my swearing-in ceremony, after I stood in front of the court and took a sworn oath to uphold the law, I thought about my family. I reminded myself that it was about one-hundred years ago that my great-grandparents had fled their homeland, leaving all they knew behind for the chance to make a better life in America. My great-grandparents, peasants in Italy, suffered from hunger and lived in dire poverty. They were subject to exploitation and hardship. My grandparents, too, grew up in abject poverty and were raised during the Great Depression. They never had the luxuries we fail to appreciate today, like a new pair of shoes or heat during the winter, and they never had the option because they were forced to work at young ages. And of course, I thought about my parents, too, and all of the wisdom they had unknowingly imparted over my childhood.
Some days, it is still difficult for me to believe that I am now a corporate litigator, working at one of the world’s most esteemed legal companies in the heart of New York City. Some days, I wonder if my great-grandparents, when feeling their homes, ever imagined that they would one day have a descendant who would achieve my level of success. Throughout my journey, I knew I needed to take the lessons I had learned from my family to sustain myself on this path towards success. I knew I had to just keep going no matter the challenges that arose because it wasn’t just about me. It was about those who came before me and those who will come after me. And so, while I work to support those who come after me, I also endeavor in all that I do to honor my ancestors who gave up so much so that I would never have too little. Because they gave up so much, I knew I could never give up, period.
September 10, 2020
September 10, 2020
CCF College Scholarship Recipient, alumnus of Georgetown University and SUNY Downstate’s College of Medicine
Nicholas Santaniello knew he wanted to go into a career that was deeply rooted in human connection and caring for others because of the nature of his Italian American upbringing. The familial and social culture that his Italian American family embraced showed him the value of caring for one’s community. The son of Italian immigrants from Salerno and Naples, growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, his parents have modeled the type of physician Nicholas hopes to be – hard-working and dedicated, yet compassionate and willing to do what is right for his patients.
Nicholas Santaniello knew he wanted to go into a career that was deeply rooted in human connection and caring for others because of the nature of his Italian American upbringing. The familial and social culture that his Italian American family embraced showed him the value of caring for one’s community. The son of Italian immigrants from Salerno and Naples, growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, his parents have modeled the type of physician Nicholas hopes to be – hard-working and dedicated, yet compassionate and willing to do what is right for his patients.
Nicholas, as a first-generation college student, feels that getting into college marks the most defining moment in his life. When he was accepted at Georgetown, he says he felt proud that his hard work and his family’s sacrifices had come to fruition. At Georgetown, Nicholas majored in Human Science in Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. After graduating magnum cum laude from Georgetown, he was happy to return to New York City to attend medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, where he graduated first in his class.
Nicholas is now living in Philadelphia and is a Pediatric Resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Reflecting on being a physician during a global pandemic, Nicholas said that day to day the hospital is a completely different environment, with less physical human contact and more barriers to providing care. He notes that the staff at his hospital are all working hard to overcome these barriers, and with proper protective equipment and innovative strategies like telemedicine they are doing their best to keep humanism in healthcare.
In the Santaniello family, there are three CCF Scholars – Nicholas, his brother, and his sister – all three able to get quality educational experiences because of the generosity of our CCF Members and supporters. Nicholas feels growing up surrounded by Italian Americans who understood the value of being part of a community that builds each other up was important to his development, and he is grateful for the opportunities that the CCF community has given to his family.
August 6, 2020
Nicholas, as a first-generation college student, feels that getting into college marks the most defining moment in his life. When he was accepted at Georgetown, he says he felt proud that his hard work and his family’s sacrifices had come to fruition. At Georgetown, Nicholas majored in Human Science in Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. After graduating magnum cum laude from Georgetown, he was happy to return to New York City to attend medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, where he graduated first in his class.
Nicholas is now living in Philadelphia and is a Pediatric Resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Reflecting on being a physician during a global pandemic, Nicholas said that day to day the hospital is a completely different environment, with less physical human contact and more barriers to providing care. He notes that the staff at his hospital are all working hard to overcome these barriers, and with proper protective equipment and innovative strategies like telemedicine they are doing their best to keep humanism in healthcare.
In the Santaniello family, there are three CCF Scholars – Nicholas, his brother, and his sister – all three able to get quality educational experiences because of the generosity of our CCF Members and supporters. Nicholas feels growing up surrounded by Italian Americans who understood the value of being part of a community that builds each other up was important to his development, and he is grateful for the opportunities that the CCF community has given to his family.
August 6, 2020
Giovanni Borrometi
CCF College Scholar reflects on his education and study abroad.
Prior to attending Loyola University Maryland, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Asia were parts of the world that my only true understanding of came through pictures I found in my history textbooks. During my freshman and sophomore years in college, I decided to study Arabic—little did I know that this decision would pave the path for me to make life-long memories and finally see the places that I had only seen on the pages of my textbooks.
Prior to attending Loyola University Maryland, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Asia were parts of the world that my only true understanding of came through pictures I found in my history textbooks. During my freshman and sophomore years in college, I decided to study Arabic—little did I know that this decision would pave the path for me to make life-long memories and finally see the places that I had only seen on the pages of my textbooks.
During the fall of my junior year, I studied abroad in Dubai at The American University of Dubai to further my knowledge of Arabic by immersing myself in the culture. During my time at AUD, I was obligated to leave the country four times on a “visa-run” with my fellow Loyola classmates and we opted to turn them into weekend trips so that we could better explore the countries in the region where we were spending the semester. The four countries that I visited were India, Lebanon, Egypt, and Oman. These obligatory weekend trips turned out to be the most memorable of my study abroad experience, not only because of the places that I saw but primarily the people I met. I made many friends that were just as eager to learn more about my Italian American culture as I was to learn more about theirs. This dialogue was particularly profound being that it provided new insight into their culture as well as dispelled many misconceptions that I previously held.
My two favorite places that I was blessed to see were the Pyramid of Giza and Monkey Village. The Pyramid of Giza was especially memorable as I had the opportunity to ride a camel around the perimeter of the structure and take in the surrounding sights such as the Great Sphinx. In Jaipur, I had the opportunity to go to a place called Monkey Village where I came face-to-face with about fifty monkeys, fed them, and had a few climb on me. On the other hand, Dubai had much to offer in terms of incredible modern feats such as the Burj Khalifa and the ski slope located inside the Mall of the Emirates. Having the opportunity to snowboard down a ski slope inside a mall in the middle of a desert is still something that astonishes me to this day.
In September, I will be returning to Loyola to pursue my MBA as part of the one-year ELMBA program offered by the University. During this time, I plan on securing an internship in the Baltimore area with a concentration in financial services with the goal of gaining experience in the field. Following my graduation from the MBA program, I plan on returning to New York and work in the global wealth management department of an international company.
During the fall of my junior year, I studied abroad in Dubai at The American University of Dubai to further my knowledge of Arabic by immersing myself in the culture. During my time at AUD, I was obligated to leave the country four times on a “visa-run” with my fellow Loyola classmates and we opted to turn them into weekend trips so that we could better explore the countries in the region where we were spending the semester. The four countries that I visited were India, Lebanon, Egypt, and Oman. These obligatory weekend trips turned out to be the most memorable of my study abroad experience, not only because of the places that I saw but primarily the people I met. I made many friends that were just as eager to learn more about my Italian American culture as I was to learn more about theirs. This dialogue was particularly profound being that it provided new insight into their culture as well as dispelled many misconceptions that I previously held.
My two favorite places that I was blessed to see were the Pyramid of Giza and Monkey Village. The Pyramid of Giza was especially memorable as I had the opportunity to ride a camel around the perimeter of the structure and take in the surrounding sights such as the Great Sphinx. In Jaipur, I had the opportunity to go to a place called Monkey Village where I came face-to-face with about fifty monkeys, fed them, and had a few climb on me. On the other hand, Dubai had much to offer in terms of incredible modern feats such as the Burj Khalifa and the ski slope located inside the Mall of the Emirates. Having the opportunity to snowboard down a ski slope inside a mall in the middle of a desert is still something that astonishes me to this day.
In September, I will be returning to Loyola to pursue my MBA as part of the one-year ELMBA program offered by the University. During this time, I plan on securing an internship in the Baltimore area with a concentration in financial services with the goal of gaining experience in the field. Following my graduation from the MBA program, I plan on returning to New York and work in the global wealth management department of an international company.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation has allowed me to travel to places and receive a quality of education that I would not have even been able to fathom when I was younger. Just as the Foundation provided me with financial assistance over the course of eight years during my time at Xavier High School and Loyola University Maryland, I plan on staying closely connected with the Foundation and cannot wait to assist future CCF Scholars.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation has allowed me to travel to places and receive a quality of education that I would not have even been able to fathom when I was younger. Just as the Foundation provided me with financial assistance over the course of eight years during my time at Xavier High School and Loyola University Maryland, I plan on staying closely connected with the Foundation and cannot wait to assist future CCF Scholars.
Joseph Cavera
July 15, 2020
High School Scholarship Recipient and YAA Board Member.
I was the first in my family to receive a scholarship from CCF in 2005 to attend high school, followed by my older brother Robert, who received a college scholarship in 2006, and our middle sister Veronica, who received hers in 2007 also for college. We still have our CCF award certificates hanging in our family home in New Jersey, and the scholarships we received have made remarkable differences in each of our lives.
I was the first in my family to receive a scholarship from CCF in 2005 to attend high school, followed by my older brother Robert, who received a college scholarship in 2006, and our middle sister Veronica, who received hers in 2007 also for college. We still have our CCF award certificates hanging in our family home in New Jersey, and the scholarships we received have made remarkable differences in each of our lives.
When I was entering high school, I knew I didn’t want to go to the public high school in my town, but when we looked at Bergen Catholic High School, my parents knew they would not be able to afford the full tuition. We attended one of the open houses, and one of the admissions officers mentioned the Columbus Citizens Foundation and how it helped young scholars. One afternoon, a few months before I would start high school, we received the call informing us I had been granted a scholarship, and my family was in disbelief and completely thrilled.
When I was entering high school, I knew I didn’t want to go to the public high school in my town, but when we looked at Bergen Catholic High School, my parents knew they would not be able to afford the full tuition. We attended one of the open houses, and one of the admissions officers mentioned the Columbus Citizens Foundation and how it helped young scholars. One afternoon, a few months before I would start high school, we received the call informing us I had been granted a scholarship, and my family was in disbelief and completely thrilled.
With my scholarship, I attended Bergen Catholic and learned incredible discipline in one of the top soccer programs in the state, in addition to getting a quality education, which prepared me for college. I was able to go to Stony Brook University, where I later graduated with honors with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, and to Montclair State University, where I graduated with an M.S. in Sustainability Science. During my studies, I met an environmental project manager - and fellow Italian - by the name of Nicholas D’Ambrosio, who served as both an advisor and mentor, who years later would build up his own environmental firm, The Nomad Group, where I now work as a staff project scientist and assistant project manager.
With my scholarship, I attended Bergen Catholic and learned incredible discipline in one of the top soccer programs in the state, in addition to getting a quality education, which prepared me for college. I was able to go to Stony Brook University, where I later graduated with honors with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, and to Montclair State University, where I graduated with an M.S. in Sustainability Science. During my studies, I met an environmental project manager - and fellow Italian - by the name of Nicholas D’Ambrosio, who served as both an advisor and mentor, who years later would build up his own environmental firm, The Nomad Group, where I now work as a staff project scientist and assistant project manager.
Around the time I graduated from Montclair State in 2015, I was invited to attend the Primavera Social at the CCF Townhouse. There I met Lisa Tarantino, who would become the next CCF Young Adults Auxiliary president, and Anthony Zampolin, a fellow Bergen Catholic alumnus who would become the YAA president after Lisa. After speaking with them and other members, I excitedly joined the YAA, and was a highly active member. When the next elections were held, I made a bid for secretary. Lisa informed me shortly thereafter that I would be serving as the secretary of the YAA for the next two years.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
If you have ever been somewhere and felt in your heart that it was where you were meant to be, then you know how I felt, and still feel, giving back to CCF. The Foundation helped my siblings and I foster academically and in the process, became a second family to the Caveras.
Around the time I graduated from Montclair State in 2015, I was invited to attend the Primavera Social at the CCF Townhouse. There I met Lisa Tarantino, who would become the next CCF Young Adults Auxiliary president, and Anthony Zampolin, a fellow Bergen Catholic alumnus who would become the YAA president after Lisa. After speaking with them and other members, I excitedly joined the YAA, and was a highly active member. When the next elections were held, I made a bid for secretary. Lisa informed me shortly thereafter that I would be serving as the secretary of the YAA for the next two years.
I have been serving my fellow YAA Board members by facilitating communications, recruiting, evaluating applications of prospective members, maintaining our active roster, sending out announcements, and helping to plan and run our bi-annual galas and other events at CCF and beyond. Getting to meet new members and celebrate with fellow YAA Board members Anthony Zampolin, Mike Ippolito, and Steve Dardis at the end of the night have been among my happiest memories serving as the YAA Secretary.
If you have ever been somewhere and felt in your heart that it was where you were meant to be, then you know how I felt, and still feel, giving back to CCF. The Foundation helped my siblings and I foster academically and in the process, became a second family to the Caveras.
June 1, 2020
Jamie Bianco
A CCF Dual HS and College CCF Scholarship Recipient in her Junior Year at Sacred Heart University Studying Nursing.
Healthcare has been the field of study I have been interested in my whole life as I have always wanted to help others. I am currently a junior at Sacred Heart University in their nursing program. I have been attending clinicals and have had hands-on opportunities, such as witnessing a cesarean section delivery, that is shaping what I wanted to do with my career. The bachelor’s in nursing program has taught me diligence, how to keep my head up, and never give up.
Sacred Heart University has also given me the opportunity to get involved in an organization that is much bigger than myself. I had joined Kappa Delta during my freshman year and it opened so many doors. My sorority works very closely with a program called Prevent Child Abuse America which creates real change in the lives of children nationwide. We raised over $30,000 at our event called Shamrock the Runway last year which went towards supporting St. Joseph’s Parenting Center. We also hold many events with the local Girl Scouts to promote confidence and growth from a young age. Although these events are created for the Girl Scouts, being there and working with them truly shaped me as well. Kappa Delta is something that I did for fun here at Sacred Heart, but it grew to become a very meaningful experience.
The most influential people in my life are my parents. My father has taught me how to be the strong, hardworking, and driven woman that I am today. When I was 11 years old, my mother passed away suddenly, and it was the hardest thing my family had to go through. My father had to take on the role of both parents for me and my siblings and has done the most amazing job. His strength inspires me every day to get through the challenges I face in my life. Although my mother was only with me for a short period of time, she taught me everything I needed to know to be the best version of myself. I am so grateful for how she shaped me into the woman I am today. I think about my mother all the time when I am in school because she had a major influence on who I am today and who I want to be in the future.
My mother introduced me to the Columbus Citizens Foundation when I was in the fifth grade. Since then, the Foundation has changed my life in the most positive ways. When I received a scholarship for the first time, I was so honored because my hard work was getting recognized. I am so thankful for those involved in the Foundation for assisting me tremendously with my finances for my education. The Foundation enabled me to go to St. Edmund Preparatory High school where I received an amazing education and made the best memories. This led me to the nursing program at Sacred Heart University. Because of its exceptional program and all they had to offer, Sacred Heart University was my top choice and if it wasn’t for CCF, I wouldn’t be here. The Foundation guided me on the right path for school, my career, and my whole life. I do not know where I would be or if I would even be studying nursing if it wasn’t for CCF, and for that, I am so thankful.
May 1, 2020
Lauren Calderaro
A CCF Internship at Fiserv and College Scholarship to James Madison University Honors College helped Lauren Calderaro land a job at Goldman Sachs
From a very young age, I connected closely with being an Italian American. My cherished and close relationship with my Nonno and Nonna taught me that communities and lives are built on the selflessness, generosity and connectivity of the people in them. Experiencing first-hand in my family how our traditions exemplify love, this has allowed me to see how these customs, passed onto me by my parents and grandparents, impact me on an everyday basis. I believe we have a moral responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our communities to uphold these traditions and pass them along to future generations.
I first learned about the Columbus Citizens Foundation through a family friend; right away, I knew I wanted to get involved and join this group of individuals with similar upbringings, morals, and values. I applied for their college scholarship during my senior year of high school and feel so incredibly lucky to have received this award. I am currently a senior at James Madison University Honors College with a major in finance. After graduation, I will be working at Goldman Sachs in New York City.
In one word, the Columbus Citizens Foundation represents “opportunity” to me. In addition to the financial support the foundation has given me in the form of a scholarship, they kickstarted my involvement in the workforce. Through the CCF internship placement program, I interned at Fiserv (formally known as “First Data”) during the summer after my sophomore year of college. Without the Columbus Citizens Foundation, I would not have had this incredible opportunity.
The impact that the Columbus Citizens Foundation has had on me over the last four years is quite difficult to even put into words. I am confident that I would not be where I am today or had the opportunities that I have been given without the generosity of the Foundation. I am honored to be associated with such an amazing group of people and I look forward to staying closely connected to the organization and most importantly, paying it forward to future CCF Scholars.
April 14, 2020
Luke Tortora
A recent UPenn graduate working in the healthcare field shares thoughts on his Italian heritage and the CCF Scholarship he received
I am a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (C’19) where I pursued a major in Health and Societies, minors in Healthcare Management and Neuroscience, and supplementary coursework through Wharton. Currently, I work as an Associate Consultant at Putnam Associates, a strategy consulting firm serving global biopharmaceutical clients, where I have to date worked on engagements supporting cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, along with the global commercialization of several new vaccines. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking Italian cuisine, playing the drums, and drawing portraits.
As I reflect on my time at Penn, I consider how the support I received from the Columbus Citizens Foundation enabled me to avail myself of so many of the opportunities I was provided. At Penn, I was fortunate enough to be involved in several pre-professional and community initiatives. On the pre-professional side, I served as a Project Leader on the Social Impact Consulting Group, a pro bono student-run consultancy. On the community side, I served in several leadership roles and advisory capacities at the Netter Center, Penn’s hub for civic engagement in West Philadelphia. I also was active as a senior staffer for Model United Nations and wrote for Wharton’s student policy blog. CCF’s backing gave me the freedom to explore my passions at Penn, and I am so grateful to have had the chance to do so.
CCF was also instrumental in placing me for an internship after my junior year. I spent that summer working with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, a nonprofit serving peer nonprofits with consulting, placement, and business development services. I spent the summer conducting a market analysis to advise a large community center in Queens on the launch of an after-school program; in short, CCF found the perfect opportunity for me to combine my interests in consulting and civic engagement.
Underpinning my work is a sense of integrity and ethic, which I credit to my Italian heritage, and more specifically to my grandfather, who was (and is) my biggest role model. My grandfather lived the true American Dream: he emigrated from Sicily after the Second World War, withstood discrimination in the States despite having a university education, and rose from humble beginnings working in a laundromat to become the owner of several businesses and a respected leader in his Brooklyn community. In addition to instilling in me an understanding of Italianità, and a love for all things Italian and Sicilian, my grandfather’s struggle and success paved the path for me to pursue my passions. During late nights at school or work, or in times of uncertainty or adversity, the thought my grandfather’s resolve inspires me to soldier on.
My appreciation for the Columbus Citizens Foundation is partly due to how intimately they understand stories like mine and my grandfather’s; it is incredibly encouraging that they continue to support Italian diaspora like myself and seek to promote our rich culture and history. I continue to stay involved with the Foundation through the Young Adults Auxiliary and I look forward to many more years of engagement and community!
March 18, 2020
Francesca Santacroce
Jamie Bianco
A CCF Dual HS and College CCF Scholarship Recipient in her Junior Year at Sacred Heart University Studying Nursing.
Healthcare has been the field of study I have been interested in my whole life as I have always wanted to help others. I am currently a junior at Sacred Heart University in their nursing program. I have been attending clinicals and have had hands-on opportunities, such as witnessing a cesarean section delivery, that is shaping what I wanted to do with my career. The bachelor’s in nursing program has taught me diligence, how to keep my head up, and never give up.
Sacred Heart University has also given me the opportunity to get involved in an organization that is much bigger than myself. I had joined Kappa Delta during my freshman year and it opened so many doors. My sorority works very closely with a program called Prevent Child Abuse America which creates real change in the lives of children nationwide. We raised over $30,000 at our event called Shamrock the Runway last year which went towards supporting St. Joseph’s Parenting Center. We also hold many events with the local Girl Scouts to promote confidence and growth from a young age. Although these events are created for the Girl Scouts, being there and working with them truly shaped me as well. Kappa Delta is something that I did for fun here at Sacred Heart, but it grew to become a very meaningful experience.
The most influential people in my life are my parents. My father has taught me how to be the strong, hardworking, and driven woman that I am today. When I was 11 years old, my mother passed away suddenly, and it was the hardest thing my family had to go through. My father had to take on the role of both parents for me and my siblings and has done the most amazing job. His strength inspires me every day to get through the challenges I face in my life. Although my mother was only with me for a short period of time, she taught me everything I needed to know to be the best version of myself. I am so grateful for how she shaped me into the woman I am today. I think about my mother all the time when I am in school because she had a major influence on who I am today and who I want to be in the future.
My mother introduced me to the Columbus Citizens Foundation when I was in the fifth grade. Since then, the Foundation has changed my life in the most positive ways. When I received a scholarship for the first time, I was so honored because my hard work was getting recognized. I am so thankful for those involved in the Foundation for assisting me tremendously with my finances for my education. The Foundation enabled me to go to St. Edmund Preparatory High school where I received an amazing education and made the best memories. This led me to the nursing program at Sacred Heart University. Because of its exceptional program and all they had to offer, Sacred Heart University was my top choice and if it wasn’t for CCF, I wouldn’t be here. The Foundation guided me on the right path for school, my career, and my whole life. I do not know where I would be or if I would even be studying nursing if it wasn’t for CCF, and for that, I am so thankful.
May 1, 2020
Lauren Calderaro
A CCF Internship at Fiserv and College Scholarship to James Madison University Honors College helped Lauren Calderaro land a job at Goldman Sachs
From a very young age, I connected closely with being an Italian American. My cherished and close relationship with my Nonno and Nonna taught me that communities and lives are built on the selflessness, generosity and connectivity of the people in them. Experiencing first-hand in my family how our traditions exemplify love, this has allowed me to see how these customs, passed onto me by my parents and grandparents, impact me on an everyday basis. I believe we have a moral responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our communities to uphold these traditions and pass them along to future generations.
I first learned about the Columbus Citizens Foundation through a family friend; right away, I knew I wanted to get involved and join this group of individuals with similar upbringings, morals, and values. I applied for their college scholarship during my senior year of high school and feel so incredibly lucky to have received this award. I am currently a senior at James Madison University Honors College with a major in finance. After graduation, I will be working at Goldman Sachs in New York City.
In one word, the Columbus Citizens Foundation represents “opportunity” to me. In addition to the financial support the foundation has given me in the form of a scholarship, they kickstarted my involvement in the workforce. Through the CCF internship placement program, I interned at Fiserv (formally known as “First Data”) during the summer after my sophomore year of college. Without the Columbus Citizens Foundation, I would not have had this incredible opportunity.
The impact that the Columbus Citizens Foundation has had on me over the last four years is quite difficult to even put into words. I am confident that I would not be where I am today or had the opportunities that I have been given without the generosity of the Foundation. I am honored to be associated with such an amazing group of people and I look forward to staying closely connected to the organization and most importantly, paying it forward to future CCF Scholars.
April 14, 2020
Luke Tortora
Jamie Bianco
A CCF Dual HS and College CCF Scholarship Recipient in her Junior Year at Sacred Heart University Studying Nursing.
Healthcare has been the field of study I have been interested in my whole life as I have always wanted to help others. I am currently a junior at Sacred Heart University in their nursing program. I have been attending clinicals and have had hands-on opportunities, such as witnessing a cesarean section delivery, that is shaping what I wanted to do with my career. The bachelor’s in nursing program has taught me diligence, how to keep my head up, and never give up.
Sacred Heart University has also given me the opportunity to get involved in an organization that is much bigger than myself. I had joined Kappa Delta during my freshman year and it opened so many doors. My sorority works very closely with a program called Prevent Child Abuse America which creates real change in the lives of children nationwide. We raised over $30,000 at our event called Shamrock the Runway last year which went towards supporting St. Joseph’s Parenting Center. We also hold many events with the local Girl Scouts to promote confidence and growth from a young age. Although these events are created for the Girl Scouts, being there and working with them truly shaped me as well. Kappa Delta is something that I did for fun here at Sacred Heart, but it grew to become a very meaningful experience.
The most influential people in my life are my parents. My father has taught me how to be the strong, hardworking, and driven woman that I am today. When I was 11 years old, my mother passed away suddenly, and it was the hardest thing my family had to go through. My father had to take on the role of both parents for me and my siblings and has done the most amazing job. His strength inspires me every day to get through the challenges I face in my life. Although my mother was only with me for a short period of time, she taught me everything I needed to know to be the best version of myself. I am so grateful for how she shaped me into the woman I am today. I think about my mother all the time when I am in school because she had a major influence on who I am today and who I want to be in the future.
My mother introduced me to the Columbus Citizens Foundation when I was in the fifth grade. Since then, the Foundation has changed my life in the most positive ways. When I received a scholarship for the first time, I was so honored because my hard work was getting recognized. I am so thankful for those involved in the Foundation for assisting me tremendously with my finances for my education. The Foundation enabled me to go to St. Edmund Preparatory High school where I received an amazing education and made the best memories. This led me to the nursing program at Sacred Heart University. Because of its exceptional program and all they had to offer, Sacred Heart University was my top choice and if it wasn’t for CCF, I wouldn’t be here. The Foundation guided me on the right path for school, my career, and my whole life. I do not know where I would be or if I would even be studying nursing if it wasn’t for CCF, and for that, I am so thankful.
May 1, 2020
Lauren Calderaro
Jamie Bianco
A CCF Dual HS and College CCF Scholarship Recipient in her Junior Year at Sacred Heart University Studying Nursing.
Healthcare has been the field of study I have been interested in my whole life as I have always wanted to help others. I am currently a junior at Sacred Heart University in their nursing program. I have been attending clinicals and have had hands-on opportunities, such as witnessing a cesarean section delivery, that is shaping what I wanted to do with my career. The bachelor’s in nursing program has taught me diligence, how to keep my head up, and never give up.
Healthcare has been the field of study I have been interested in my whole life as I have always wanted to help others. I am currently a junior at Sacred Heart University in their nursing program. I have been attending clinicals and have had hands-on opportunities, such as witnessing a cesarean section delivery, that is shaping what I wanted to do with my career. The bachelor’s in nursing program has taught me diligence, how to keep my head up, and never give up.
Sacred Heart University has also given me the opportunity to get involved in an organization that is much bigger than myself. I had joined Kappa Delta during my freshman year and it opened so many doors. My sorority works very closely with a program called Prevent Child Abuse America which creates real change in the lives of children nationwide. We raised over $30,000 at our event called Shamrock the Runway last year which went towards supporting St. Joseph’s Parenting Center. We also hold many events with the local Girl Scouts to promote confidence and growth from a young age. Although these events are created for the Girl Scouts, being there and working with them truly shaped me as well. Kappa Delta is something that I did for fun here at Sacred Heart, but it grew to become a very meaningful experience.
Sacred Heart University has also given me the opportunity to get involved in an organization that is much bigger than myself. I had joined Kappa Delta during my freshman year and it opened so many doors. My sorority works very closely with a program called Prevent Child Abuse America which creates real change in the lives of children nationwide. We raised over $30,000 at our event called Shamrock the Runway last year which went towards supporting St. Joseph’s Parenting Center. We also hold many events with the local Girl Scouts to promote confidence and growth from a young age. Although these events are created for the Girl Scouts, being there and working with them truly shaped me as well. Kappa Delta is something that I did for fun here at Sacred Heart, but it grew to become a very meaningful experience.
The most influential people in my life are my parents. My father has taught me how to be the strong, hardworking, and driven woman that I am today. When I was 11 years old, my mother passed away suddenly, and it was the hardest thing my family had to go through. My father had to take on the role of both parents for me and my siblings and has done the most amazing job. His strength inspires me every day to get through the challenges I face in my life. Although my mother was only with me for a short period of time, she taught me everything I needed to know to be the best version of myself. I am so grateful for how she shaped me into the woman I am today. I think about my mother all the time when I am in school because she had a major influence on who I am today and who I want to be in the future.
The most influential people in my life are my parents. My father has taught me how to be the strong, hardworking, and driven woman that I am today. When I was 11 years old, my mother passed away suddenly, and it was the hardest thing my family had to go through. My father had to take on the role of both parents for me and my siblings and has done the most amazing job. His strength inspires me every day to get through the challenges I face in my life. Although my mother was only with me for a short period of time, she taught me everything I needed to know to be the best version of myself. I am so grateful for how she shaped me into the woman I am today. I think about my mother all the time when I am in school because she had a major influence on who I am today and who I want to be in the future.
My mother introduced me to the Columbus Citizens Foundation when I was in the fifth grade. Since then, the Foundation has changed my life in the most positive ways. When I received a scholarship for the first time, I was so honored because my hard work was getting recognized. I am so thankful for those involved in the Foundation for assisting me tremendously with my finances for my education. The Foundation enabled me to go to St. Edmund Preparatory High school where I received an amazing education and made the best memories. This led me to the nursing program at Sacred Heart University. Because of its exceptional program and all they had to offer, Sacred Heart University was my top choice and if it wasn’t for CCF, I wouldn’t be here. The Foundation guided me on the right path for school, my career, and my whole life. I do not know where I would be or if I would even be studying nursing if it wasn’t for CCF, and for that, I am so thankful.
My mother introduced me to the Columbus Citizens Foundation when I was in the fifth grade. Since then, the Foundation has changed my life in the most positive ways. When I received a scholarship for the first time, I was so honored because my hard work was getting recognized. I am so thankful for those involved in the Foundation for assisting me tremendously with my finances for my education. The Foundation enabled me to go to St. Edmund Preparatory High school where I received an amazing education and made the best memories. This led me to the nursing program at Sacred Heart University. Because of its exceptional program and all they had to offer, Sacred Heart University was my top choice and if it wasn’t for CCF, I wouldn’t be here. The Foundation guided me on the right path for school, my career, and my whole life. I do not know where I would be or if I would even be studying nursing if it wasn’t for CCF, and for that, I am so thankful.
May 1, 2020
A CCF Internship at Fiserv and College Scholarship to James Madison University Honors College helped Lauren Calderaro land a job at Goldman Sachs
From a very young age, I connected closely with being an Italian American. My cherished and close relationship with my Nonno and Nonna taught me that communities and lives are built on the selflessness, generosity and connectivity of the people in them. Experiencing first-hand in my family how our traditions exemplify love, this has allowed me to see how these customs, passed onto me by my parents and grandparents, impact me on an everyday basis. I believe we have a moral responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our communities to uphold these traditions and pass them along to future generations.
From a very young age, I connected closely with being an Italian American. My cherished and close relationship with my Nonno and Nonna taught me that communities and lives are built on the selflessness, generosity and connectivity of the people in them. Experiencing first-hand in my family how our traditions exemplify love, this has allowed me to see how these customs, passed onto me by my parents and grandparents, impact me on an everyday basis. I believe we have a moral responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our communities to uphold these traditions and pass them along to future generations.
I first learned about the Columbus Citizens Foundation through a family friend; right away, I knew I wanted to get involved and join this group of individuals with similar upbringings, morals, and values. I applied for their college scholarship during my senior year of high school and feel so incredibly lucky to have received this award. I am currently a senior at James Madison University Honors College with a major in finance. After graduation, I will be working at Goldman Sachs in New York City.
I first learned about the Columbus Citizens Foundation through a family friend; right away, I knew I wanted to get involved and join this group of individuals with similar upbringings, morals, and values. I applied for their college scholarship during my senior year of high school and feel so incredibly lucky to have received this award. I am currently a senior at James Madison University Honors College with a major in finance. After graduation, I will be working at Goldman Sachs in New York City.
In one word, the Columbus Citizens Foundation represents “opportunity” to me. In addition to the financial support the foundation has given me in the form of a scholarship, they kickstarted my involvement in the workforce. Through the CCF internship placement program, I interned at Fiserv (formally known as “First Data”) during the summer after my sophomore year of college. Without the Columbus Citizens Foundation, I would not have had this incredible opportunity.
In one word, the Columbus Citizens Foundation represents “opportunity” to me. In addition to the financial support the foundation has given me in the form of a scholarship, they kickstarted my involvement in the workforce. Through the CCF internship placement program, I interned at Fiserv (formally known as “First Data”) during the summer after my sophomore year of college. Without the Columbus Citizens Foundation, I would not have had this incredible opportunity.
The impact that the Columbus Citizens Foundation has had on me over the last four years is quite difficult to even put into words. I am confident that I would not be where I am today or had the opportunities that I have been given without the generosity of the Foundation. I am honored to be associated with such an amazing group of people and I look forward to staying closely connected to the organization and most importantly, paying it forward to future CCF Scholars.
The impact that the Columbus Citizens Foundation has had on me over the last four years is quite difficult to even put into words. I am confident that I would not be where I am today or had the opportunities that I have been given without the generosity of the Foundation. I am honored to be associated with such an amazing group of people and I look forward to staying closely connected to the organization and most importantly, paying it forward to future CCF Scholars.
April 14, 2020
Luke Tortora
A recent UPenn graduate working in the healthcare field shares thoughts on his Italian heritage and the CCF Scholarship he received
I am a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (C’19) where I pursued a major in Health and Societies, minors in Healthcare Management and Neuroscience, and supplementary coursework through Wharton. Currently, I work as an Associate Consultant at Putnam Associates, a strategy consulting firm serving global biopharmaceutical clients, where I have to date worked on engagements supporting cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, along with the global commercialization of several new vaccines. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking Italian cuisine, playing the drums, and drawing portraits.
I am a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (C’19) where I pursued a major in Health and Societies, minors in Healthcare Management and Neuroscience, and supplementary coursework through Wharton. Currently, I work as an Associate Consultant at Putnam Associates, a strategy consulting firm serving global biopharmaceutical clients, where I have to date worked on engagements supporting cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, along with the global commercialization of several new vaccines. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking Italian cuisine, playing the drums, and drawing portraits.
As I reflect on my time at Penn, I consider how the support I received from the Columbus Citizens Foundation enabled me to avail myself of so many of the opportunities I was provided. At Penn, I was fortunate enough to be involved in several pre-professional and community initiatives. On the pre-professional side, I served as a Project Leader on the Social Impact Consulting Group, a pro bono student-run consultancy. On the community side, I served in several leadership roles and advisory capacities at the Netter Center, Penn’s hub for civic engagement in West Philadelphia. I also was active as a senior staffer for Model United Nations and wrote for Wharton’s student policy blog. CCF’s backing gave me the freedom to explore my passions at Penn, and I am so grateful to have had the chance to do so.
As I reflect on my time at Penn, I consider how the support I received from the Columbus Citizens Foundation enabled me to avail myself of so many of the opportunities I was provided. At Penn, I was fortunate enough to be involved in several pre-professional and community initiatives. On the pre-professional side, I served as a Project Leader on the Social Impact Consulting Group, a pro bono student-run consultancy. On the community side, I served in several leadership roles and advisory capacities at the Netter Center, Penn’s hub for civic engagement in West Philadelphia. I also was active as a senior staffer for Model United Nations and wrote for Wharton’s student policy blog. CCF’s backing gave me the freedom to explore my passions at Penn, and I am so grateful to have had the chance to do so.
CCF was also instrumental in placing me for an internship after my junior year. I spent that summer working with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, a nonprofit serving peer nonprofits with consulting, placement, and business development services. I spent the summer conducting a market analysis to advise a large community center in Queens on the launch of an after-school program; in short, CCF found the perfect opportunity for me to combine my interests in consulting and civic engagement.
CCF was also instrumental in placing me for an internship after my junior year. I spent that summer working with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, a nonprofit serving peer nonprofits with consulting, placement, and business development services. I spent the summer conducting a market analysis to advise a large community center in Queens on the launch of an after-school program; in short, CCF found the perfect opportunity for me to combine my interests in consulting and civic engagement.
Underpinning my work is a sense of integrity and ethic, which I credit to my Italian heritage, and more specifically to my grandfather, who was (and is) my biggest role model. My grandfather lived the true American Dream: he emigrated from Sicily after the Second World War, withstood discrimination in the States despite having a university education, and rose from humble beginnings working in a laundromat to become the owner of several businesses and a respected leader in his Brooklyn community. In addition to instilling in me an understanding of Italianità, and a love for all things Italian and Sicilian, my grandfather’s struggle and success paved the path for me to pursue my passions. During late nights at school or work, or in times of uncertainty or adversity, the thought my grandfather’s resolve inspires me to soldier on.
My appreciation for the Columbus Citizens Foundation is partly due to how intimately they understand stories like mine and my grandfather’s; it is incredibly encouraging that they continue to support Italian diaspora like myself and seek to promote our rich culture and history. I continue to stay involved with the Foundation through the Young Adults Auxiliary and I look forward to many more years of engagement and community!
Underpinning my work is a sense of integrity and ethic, which I credit to my Italian heritage, and more specifically to my grandfather, who was (and is) my biggest role model. My grandfather lived the true American Dream: he emigrated from Sicily after the Second World War, withstood discrimination in the States despite having a university education, and rose from humble beginnings working in a laundromat to become the owner of several businesses and a respected leader in his Brooklyn community. In addition to instilling in me an understanding of Italianità, and a love for all things Italian and Sicilian, my grandfather’s struggle and success paved the path for me to pursue my passions. During late nights at school or work, or in times of uncertainty or adversity, the thought my grandfather’s resolve inspires me to soldier on.
My appreciation for the Columbus Citizens Foundation is partly due to how intimately they understand stories like mine and my grandfather’s; it is incredibly encouraging that they continue to support Italian diaspora like myself and seek to promote our rich culture and history. I continue to stay involved with the Foundation through the Young Adults Auxiliary and I look forward to many more years of engagement and community!
March 18, 2020
Francesca Santacroce
A first-generation college graduate reflects on the impact of her
CCF Scholarship and Internship Program
My interest in changing peoples’ lives has heavily influenced my goals, ambitions, and plans to pursue a medical degree after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomolecular Science with a concentration in Biomedical Engineering, at New York University Tandon School of Engineering. My experiences as a woman in a STEM field and a first-generation college student have greatly impacted my personal and professional goals. While at NYU, I was fortunate enough to participate in numerous educational projects that taught me professionalism and gave me a solid foundation in applied sciences, granted through my strong Italian work ethic, NYU faculty, and the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
As a teaching assistant at NYU, I have educated and mentored students from all walks of life with diverse interests. I managed a sector of biomolecular science courses, leading a staff of ten graduate students to efficiently carry out laboratory experiments and fairly grade student reports. I was recommended to be lead researcher after completing my freshman year for a project called “The Staff of Gandalf,” where ultrasound and infrared sensors are incorporated into a basic white cane to safely and efficiently help the blind community. As an avid yoga practitioner and instructor, I designed and co-founded a yoga and physiology course and scientific research conference at NYU to educate the community about the data that supports biological, psychological, and physiological benefits of yoga.
My interest in changing peoples’ lives has heavily influenced my goals, ambitions, and plans to pursue a medical degree after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomolecular Science with a concentration in Biomedical Engineering, at New York University Tandon School of Engineering. My experiences as a woman in a STEM field and a first-generation college student have greatly impacted my personal and professional goals. While at NYU, I was fortunate enough to participate in numerous educational projects that taught me professionalism and gave me a solid foundation in applied sciences, granted through my strong Italian work ethic, NYU faculty, and the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
As a teaching assistant at NYU, I have educated and mentored students from all walks of life with diverse interests. I managed a sector of biomolecular science courses, leading a staff of ten graduate students to efficiently carry out laboratory experiments and fairly grade student reports. I was recommended to be lead researcher after completing my freshman year for a project called “The Staff of Gandalf,” where ultrasound and infrared sensors are incorporated into a basic white cane to safely and efficiently help the blind community. As an avid yoga practitioner and instructor, I designed and co-founded a yoga and physiology course and scientific research conference at NYU to educate the community about the data that supports biological, psychological, and physiological benefits of yoga.
From the start of my college career, the Columbus Citizens Foundation has played a significant role in the professional opportunities I have obtained in my undergraduate and graduate career. I was fortunate enough to become a CCF College Scholarship recipient and when CCF began their internship program, I was offered an opportunity at Weill Cornell Medical College in their ophthalmology department. Then I started an internship with Dr. Joseph Lombardi. There, I learned the importance of patient care, compassionate bedside manner, and clinical procedures. I am now an Assistant Supervisor for Edison Spine Center with Dr. Lombardi at Edison Metuchen Orthopedic Group. I am applying to medical school for the 2021 school year and I aspire to open my own practice in the future.
From the start of my college career, the Columbus Citizens Foundation has played a significant role in the professional opportunities I have obtained in my undergraduate and graduate career. I was fortunate enough to become a CCF College Scholarship recipient and when CCF began their internship program, I was offered an opportunity at Weill Cornell Medical College in their ophthalmology department. Then I started an internship with Dr. Joseph Lombardi. There, I learned the importance of patient care, compassionate bedside manner, and clinical procedures. I am now an Assistant Supervisor for Edison Spine Center with Dr. Lombardi at Edison Metuchen Orthopedic Group. I am applying to medical school for the 2021 school year and I aspire to open my own practice in the future.
My strongest influences in life have been the women in my family. My grandmothers, both immigrants from Italy, and my mother are the reasons that I am not only the first woman, but the first person to graduate from university in my family. My mother also suffers from Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, a rare genetic disorder that results in end-stage renal failure. Her strength and determination to wait on the long and frustrating organ donation list inspires me to be patient and unwavering throughout medical school and in my career as a physician. Outside of work and academics, I volunteer as a crisis intervention counselor for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, helping survivors and loved ones of those who have been affected by sexual violence.
My strongest influences in life have been the women in my family. My grandmothers, both immigrants from Italy, and my mother are the reasons that I am not only the first woman, but the first person to graduate from university in my family. My mother also suffers from Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, a rare genetic disorder that results in end-stage renal failure. Her strength and determination to wait on the long and frustrating organ donation list inspires me to be patient and unwavering throughout medical school and in my career as a physician. Outside of work and academics, I volunteer as a crisis intervention counselor for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, helping survivors and loved ones of those who have been affected by sexual violence.
I am so honored to be a member of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, not only as a scholarship and internship recipient, but also as a Young Adults Auxiliary member. It is the young people who truly make changes and a difference in the world, and we must support them to obtain educations and solid foundations. Thank you to the Columbus Citizens Foundation, from the bottom of my heart, for the morals by which they stand, and for what they do for young professionals such as myself.
I am so honored to be a member of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, not only as a scholarship and internship recipient, but also as a Young Adults Auxiliary member. It is the young people who truly make changes and a difference in the world, and we must support them to obtain educations and solid foundations. Thank you to the Columbus Citizens Foundation, from the bottom of my heart, for the morals by which they stand, and for what they do for young professionals such as myself.
February 10, 2020