15 Students Share $75,000 in College Scholarships From CIC/Louis G. Nappi Management-Labor Fund
August 20, 2024
TARRYTOWN, NY— Fifteen college and graduate students will begin the new academic year each with a $5,000 grant from the Louis G. Nappi Construction Labor-Management Scholarship Fund for studies in Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics and Applied Sciences.
The announcement of the $75,000 in scholarships awards was made by John Cooney, Jr., executive director of the Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley, Inc.
Committee Chairman William Mascetta stated, “In this fast-paced world driven by the highest level of technology, it has bred the ASAP culture, hence the importance of exercising patience and tolerance. Your decision-making will be sharper and more accurate while avoiding errors and omissions and improving performance and increasing individual skill set.”
As a major construction industry financial-aid program, the Louis G. Nappi Fund was established in 2009 by Mr. Nappi (1920-2014), a former CIC Chairman (now Emeritus). It was Mr. Nappi’s vision that the hard sciences of Mathematics and Engineering were essential pathways for the U.S. to reestablish American companies as world leaders in transportation and infrastructure construction.
The scholarship fund is a living testimony to Mr. Nappi who served as CIC Chairman from 1986 to 1991, Mr. Cooney explained. “Lou’s commitment to Engineering and Science lives on today in these scholarships and through these students as many of them have graduated and have entered the workplace. Lou believed that giving students the financial means to pursue higher education and advanced degrees would help our nation’s construction and building industries regain global competitiveness and preeminence.”
Mr. Mascetta thanked the Scholarship Committee members from Organized Labor and the contracting community, including the CIC staff to create, organize and publicize the scholarship opportunities.
The committee also includes: Anthony Ascencao of Laborers Local Union 60; Philip Benza of The Arben Group, LLC; Mr. Cooney of CIC; Dean DiNatale of Yonkers Contracting Co., Inc.; Jeffrey Loughlin of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Westchester & Putnam, Inc.; Ross Pepe, Matthew Pepe and Karen Zedda of CIC; Louis Picani of Teamster Local Union 456; and Thomas Welby, Esq., P.E., of Welby, Brady & Greenblatt, LLP. Committee members also recognized were Edward Doyle, Sr., ex officio, of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Westchester & Putnam, Inc., and Jerry Keahon, In Memoriam.
Mr. Mascetta also thanked “the students and parents over the years for their dedication and efforts in reaching this successful milestone that epitomizes the goal of our founder, Louis G. Nappi, for our entire industry.” He also acknowledged a member of the Nappi family present, Dean DiNatale, who is the grandson of Mr. Nappi and a member of the scholarship committee.
Marking its 16th anniversary, the Louis G. Nappi Scholarship Fund has now awarded more than $1,020,000 in the form of 237 grants to some 110 students attending more than 75 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. Scholarship recipients reside mainly in the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley and are related to employees of CIC-member companies or affiliated unions. The participating labor unions are Laborers International Union of N.A. Local 60, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 137, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 456.
For information on the program and application, visit the association’s website, www.cicnys.org.
Scholarship Winners
James Apostolou, 21, of Yorktown Heights, NY, is a Senior studying Allied Health at the University of Tampa. He is the son of a member of Teamsters L.U. 456 of Elmsford, NY.
Kyle Burdick, 21, of Patterson, NY, is a Senior studying Computer Engineering at Manhattan College. His father is a member of Teamsters L.U. 456 of Elmsford, NY.
Andrew Fortunato, 20, of Fairfield, CT, is a Junior studying Economics and Mathematics at Bates College. He is the grandson of a member of Operating Engineers, L.U. 137.
Diego Gonzalez, 18, of Brookfield, CT is a Freshman studying Civil Engineering at Central Connecticut State University. His father and uncles are members of Laborers L.U. 60 of Hawthorne, NY.
Sophia Mangone, 21, of Hartsdale, NY, is a Junior studying Science at SUNY Oneonta. Her grandfather was an employee of Bay Crane, a CIC-member company.
Luke Marotta, 18, of New Fairfield, CT, is a Freshman studying Construction Management at Verto Education (study abroad program) and at University of New Hampshire. His grandfather was a member of an association-affiliated company.
Carter Mistishin, 18, of Lake Ariel, PA, is a Sophomore studying HVAC and Electrical Construction at Johnson College. His father is an employee of Byram Concrete & Supply, LLC, a CIC-member company.
Cooper Mistishin,22, of Lake Ariel, PA, is a Senior studying Software Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology. His father is an employee of Byram Concrete & Supply, LLC, a CIC-member company.
Nicholas Mulvey, 21, of Valhalla, NY, is a Senior studying Civil Engineering at Bucknell University. He is the son of an employee of Stratis Contracting Corp., a CIC-member company.
Alexandra Pfeiffer, 18, of Eastchester, NY, is a Freshman studying Biochemistry at Providence College. Her family has a long association with the CIC.
Marie Sprong, 18, of Roxbury, CT, is a freshman studying Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University. Her mother is an employee of Palumbo Block, a CIC-member company.
Kirsten Stepien, 20, of Wayne, NJ, is a Junior studying Engineering Management at Stevens Institute of Technology. Her father is an employee of Halmar International LLC, a CIC-member company.
Jonatan Vargas, 19, of New Rochelle, NY, is a Freshman studying Computer Science at Manhattan College. Her father is a member of Laborers Local 60 and an employee of ELQ Industries, Inc., a CIC-member company.
Hailey Weber, 19, of Southbury, CT, is a Sophomore studying Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut. Her father is a member of Operating Engineers L.U. 137 of Briarcliff Manor, NY.
Genevieve Zorilo, 20, of Wappingers Falls, NY, is a Junior studying Health Sciences at Pace University. Her father is a member of Operating Engineers L.U. 137 of Briarcliff Manor, NY.
