DONORS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
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“We wanted to establish a scholarship in Michael’s Name.
Saint Peter’s was the logical choice Because of the educational opportunity the Yanitelli Scholarship offered to Michael.”
“Judith and Chuck are fond of Saint Peter’s, interested in the education of students, and committed to assisting veterans—and through these activities, honoring the memory of Michael. That is what makes this scholarship special,” noted Wilson. Through the years, Chuck has also sought the advice of his close friend Gary Schweikert, a vice chairman of the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, when deciding the criteria for scholarships; the charitable organization provides financial assistance to children of activeduty Marines killed in the line of duty. “Saint Peter’s should be proud that it has a scholarship available to students who served our country—there are few schools that come to their aid so quickly,” said Schweikert.
30th Anniversary Recipient This year, the scholarship’s 30th year, the recipient is Jay Geldziler ’12, a Hoboken resident who served in the Marine Corps from June 1998 (five days after graduating from Freehold Township High School) to June 2002. A former employee of the Law
The late Michael Azarow ’76
Enforcement Department of the Federal Reserve, Geldziler started his Saint Peter’s College education in Fall 2009. To date, the Azarow Scholarship has awarded more than $170,000 to 15 students. After graduation, past recipients attained positions at organizations such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Goldman Sachs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; another recipient attended graduate school at Oxford University. Geldziler, who is a public policy major, plans to seek a public service position upon graduation. He is currently an intern at a New York City consulting firm, works on a New York State Senate electoral campaign and volunteers at St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Church’s Lunchtime Ministry in Hoboken. “When I received the Azarow Scholarship, I was the happiest person in the world,” said Geldziler. “This scholarship took a huge financial burden off my wife and me. We were expecting our first child and were in the middle of buying our first home. I am extremely thankful.” Due to the timeline of his discharge from the Marine Corps, Geldziler was only partially eligible for educational provisions under the federal government’s Post9/11 GI bill or the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program. Since 2009, Saint Peter’s has participated in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which aims to help men and women who have served their country attain higher education. “When I was in high school I was so focused on entering the military, college was the furthest thing from my mind,” he added. “But eventually, you really need that degree to get ahead. There’s no way around it.”
Board of Regents welcomes new members Two alumni and a community leader have joined the Board of Regents at Saint Peter’s College. Carlos Lejnieks is president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Carlos Lejnieks of Essex, Hudson and Union Counties, the nonprofit organization that matches children with mentors in professionally supported one-to-one John Licata ’95 relationships. Since 2008, Big Brothers Big Sisters has expanded its presence in Jersey City through community partnerships with Saint Peter’s, as well as other companies and Gary F. Vitale ’74 organizations. Lejnieks is a graduate of Brown University and the London School of Economics and Political Science. John Licata ’95 is chief investment strategist for Blue Phoenix, Inc., an independent energy and metals research/ advisory company that he founded in 2006. Prior to Blue Phoenix, Licata held positions at Dow Jones, Salomon Smith Barney, BrokerageAmerica and R&M Futures. He holds a B.A. in economics from Saint Peter’s College and was the recipient of the College’s Wall Street Journal Award for Economic Excellence. Licata is also a regular commentator on CNBC, CNBC Asia, FOX Business Channel, Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg Radio and BNN. Gary F. Vitale ’74 is the president of the North American Wholesale Lumber Association (NAWLA) and the president of the Temperate Forest Foundation in Rolling Meadows, Ill. Vitale holds a B.S. in marketing management from Saint Peter’s College and is also a member of the College’s Athletic Hall of Fame for baseball. Active in the College’s Executivein-Residence program, Vitale resides in Ada, Mich., with his wife, Karen. Saint Peter’s College • Fall 2010 21