Scranton Area Community Foundation Announces 2021 James F. Swift Scholarship Recipients

Twenty students from thirteen different high schools in the area have been awarded a prestigious scholarship through the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, which provides $5,000 per year for each recipient for up to four years to assist with continuing education expenses.

The James F. Swift Scholarship Fund has awarded over $3.2 million since 2008, benefiting over 220 local students to date. Created in 2002 through a gift by Mr. James F. Swift to the Scranton Area Community Foundation, the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund provides support for higher education for students graduating from high schools in Lackawanna County. Following Mr. Swift’s death in 2006, the Scranton Area Community Foundation gratefully received a significant gift from his estate to the scholarship fund which has allowed a great number of students from Lackawanna County the opportunity to pursue their academic and professional goals through higher education.

The scholarship aims to provide an ongoing stream of matriculation at Lackawanna County colleges and universities. It is the goal of the Scranton Area Community Foundation to award 75% of the scholarships to students who plan to attend institutions of higher learning in the Lackawanna County region.

Scranton Area Community Foundation President and CEO Laura Ducceschi praised the generosity of Mr. Swift, noting “he has left a permanent and enduring legacy for the young people of our region. His scholarship fund makes higher education more attainable for generations of students.”

James F. Swift Scholarship Recipients pictured:

Row 1: Gabrielle Snee, Rebecca Lucas, Liz Stone, Olivia Manarchuck, Taralyn Reilly, Ryan Coleman.

Row 2: Hannah Carr, Maura Turi, Jillian Brennan, Alexis Tanana, Ava Decker, Caitlin Doughton, Gerardo Sanchez Garcia, Gwyneth Serowinski, Fione Evans, Korey Kruk.

Row 3: Hunter Geise, Ben Thompson, Antonio Pugliese, Nicholas Guerra, Ashley Capone, Taylor Seprosky, Jenna O’Malley.

Row 4: Christian Snee, Jacob Vituszynski, Joshua Vituszynski, Claudia Pitts, Tyler Muskey, Marguerite Flynn, David McKenney, Eric Spivak.

Also in photo: Cathy Fitzpatrick, Grants and Scholarship Manager, Scranton Area Community Foundation; and Frank Caputo, Grants and Communications Coordinator, Scranton Area Community Foundation.

2021 James F. Swift Scholarship recipients missing from photo: Michael Rodyushkin, Cameron Butka, Matthew Howard, Hailey Matechak, Kayla Rose, Sara McCormac, Meredith Purcell, Sofia Capozzi, Marisol Olivares.

In addition to the 20 new recipients, there were 55 James F. Swift Scholarship renewals in 2021. The following students are recipients of a James F. Swift Scholarship Renewal in 2021: Shannon Baransky, Tanner Begin, Calista Calabro, Christina Carachilo, Emma Coar, Andrew Cummings, James Docalovich, Collin Ennis, Austin Glidewell, Marilyn Hoskins, Daniel Jaggars, Rebecca Johnson, Tiffini Kalt, Meghan Keenan, Benjamin Koshinski, Tori Kovalchick, Kristen Lello, Ximena  Maldonado, Mark Melesky, Brooke Mickavicz, Gia Occhipinti, Marley Palmere, Megan Purcell, Julia Romanovich, Amanda Sakulich, Nina Sampogne, Kaitlyn Savage, Natalie Sottile, Christopher Talluto, Makenna Thorpe, Evan Tremback, Ryan Turlip, Alexandra Valvano, Anna Van Wert, Stone Wormuth, Alec Yanisko, Drew Yanni.