Tamara Branzo Dinh ’82
On any given day, engineering students will impress visitors with a seriousness of purpose, and the number of women among this group is gratifying. From its beginnings, the engineering school has enjoyed a sterling reputation, and its graduates have established themselves as leaders in the industry. It was for this reason that Tamara Stuart encouraged her nieces to study engineering at Manhattan College. Stuart, who emigrated from Russia during World War II, and her engineer husband, wanted to make sure that the girls received the finest education in the field. And so Tamara (Tammy) Branzo Dinh ’82 and Jannette Branzo ’86 became civil engineers, while Margaret Branzo ’83 became an electrical engineer. Upon graduation, Dinh worked for the Army
advancement
The Tamara Branzo Dinh ’82 Memorial Scholarship for Engineering Corps of Engineers and later for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She married Phillip Dinh and was in the midst of a happy, productive life when she was diagnosed with and died of breast cancer several years ago. After her death, friends from the Port Authority, along with her sisters and husband, contributed to endow a scholarship in Dinh’s name. Last year, her aunt made a gift of $50,000 in order to completely fund the endowment. Stuart’s love for her niece, her namesake, also has moved her to make a provision for the scholarship in her estate. It is important, Stuart says, that it be a memorial to her niece’s beautiful spirit. The Tamara Branzo Dinh ’82 Memorial Scholarship will be earmarked for a female student in the school of engineering.
Living Life to the Fullest — Stephen A. Scalia ’51 His has been called the greatest generation, and the long and distinguished career Stephen A. Scalia ’51 has enjoyed makes him very much a part of that storied generation. He is a loyal supporter of Manhattan College and recently established a charitable gift annuity. Scalia’s pre-Manhattan experience was, unlike that of many college freshmen, extensive and impressive. His early education was interrupted by service in the U.S. Army Infantry during World War II. In May of 1944, he was sent to Europe, and in June of 1944, he was transferred to the Civil Affairs Division of General Headquarters of Supreme Headquarters as a clerk on Gen. Eisenhower’s staff. In this capacity, Scalia was assigned to various posts from southern England to Normandy to main
headquarters in Versailles, and handled much of the correspondence for the Central Registry, a combined registry for both the British and American forces. Later, he would become chief clerk for the main military headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. He recalls his war experiences vividly and has left his account of them as part of the National WWII Museum’s oral history exhibit. Those visiting the New Orleans-based museum have the opportunity to hear Scalia’s story, which includes his most exhilarating memory: standing on top of the Arc de Triomphe on VE Day and watching the city’s huge and joyous celebration of victory. In 1947, Scalia entered Manhattan’s school of arts and sciences and became active in the College publication Manhattan
College Quarterly, for which he later served as editor in chief. Upon graduation, he began a varied career, first with the NBC radio news department and then headed south to New Orleans to begin work in commercial television. Scalia also managed an advertising agency for 20 years and then managed his own agency for another 20 years. After settling in New Orleans, he became interested in historic site preservation and in 1960 purchased two of the city’s properties, the Clay House (1828) and St. Mary’s School (1871), adjacent to each other in the French Quarter. The beautiful restoration work and lush gardens have been photographed frequently for tourist and preservation publications. Scalia has a full and active life, including vacations to Europe,
and as with so many Jaspers, he maintains lifelong friendships from his college days. And he always takes time to remember his alma mater and continues to be a long-time member of the Covenant Society.
Stephen A. Scalia ’51
manhattan.edu
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