The primary purpose of the Joseph J. Esoda “Making -A Better Future” Scholarship is to preserve the legacy of Joseph J. Esoda, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2000. The Joseph J. Esoda Scholarship honors Joseph’s dedication to our nation’s armed forces, commitment to American manufacturing, which sustained and bettered his family throughout his 37+ year career, and unyielding pursuit of a wonderful life for his children by providing tuition assistance to graduating seniors so that they can pursue post-secondary education in any of several advanced manufacturing technology disciplines at one of several northeastern Pennsylvania colleges of technology or community colleges. Scholarships will be awarded based upon need, merit and other factors. Up to five (5) awards will be made each year to qualified applicants at the decision of authorized Joseph J. Esoda “Making -A Better Future” Scholarship representatives. Each award will be for $2,000 spread over two (2) academic years or, in the case of a student pursuit of a one-year program, the single academic year.
Scholarship eligibility requirements:
- Must be a graduating senior from a high school in Bradford, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne or Wyoming counties.
- Must be pursuing a 1-year or 2-year degree or certificate in an “advanced manufacturing technology” discipline such as those commonly falling under the heading of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Biomedical Equipment Technology, Industrial Technology, Mechatronics Technology, Welding & Welding Technology, Electronics, Industrial Maintenance, Manufacturing Technician, Nanofabrication and similar.
- Must be pursuing education (as per above) at one of the following schools in northeastern Pennsylvania – Johnson College, Luzerne County Community College, Lackawanna College – OR at a local (within northeastern PA) campus of Penn College of Technology or Penn State.
Evaluative criteria:
Student applicants will be evaluated based upon the following criteria:
- Merit based. Within top 25% of graduating class based upon GPA or some similar class stratification. (10 pts).
- Merit based. Working part-time while in high school OR engaged in the varsity sports of basketball, wrestling or football. (10 pts.)
- Legacy based. Potential first-generation post-secondary education graduate (i.e. first
generation of family to complete education beyond high school level). (25 pts). - Legacy based. Has parent or custodial guardian currently working in manufacturing in northeastern Pennsylvania (20 pts).
- Legacy based. Has parent or custodial guardian who was raised within a family that struggled with poverty, literacy, food scarcity or similar challenge or barrier to success. (15 pts).
- Needs based. Has limited resources for post-secondary education – lack of transportation, lack of tuition funds, lack of computer/LT. tools, lack of funding for tools and supplies, etc. (20 pts.)
Note that the point system is only a general guide. Final determination of award recipients will be made at the sole discretion of scholarship representatives as detailed below. Application and evaluation methodology:
- NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Talent Pipeline Coordinator will ensure that all high school Guidance Counselors, Career Counselors, Administrators and relevant faculty are made aware of the Joseph J. Esoda “Making -A Better Future” Scholarship and have access to applications.
- NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Talent Pipeline Coordinator will ensure that the Financial Aid Office of each college of technology and community college identified above is aware of the Joseph J. Esoda “Making -A Better Future” Scholarship to promote to incoming students/applicants.
- The Luzerne Foundation will gather student applications during open applicant period and forward to NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Talent Pipeline Coordinator.
- The Officers of NEPIRC’s Board of Directors will identify a final grouping of 15-20 qualified applicants using the point system previously described AND, if needed, their collective judgment as to the most desirable 15-20 final applicants.
- Two appointed representatives -Kim Ann Dougherty, daughter or Joseph J. Esoda, and Jenelle Osborne, in her capacity as NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Talent Stream Coordinator, will independently evaluate the pool of 15-20 final applicants and then collaborate to discuss and identify a final award recipient pool of no more than five (5) students. Selection may be made based upon the point system previously described OR (and preferably) each person’s understanding of Joseph J. Esoda’s personality, values and individuality and the intent of this scholarship fund.
- Awards will be paid directly to each student’s school of enrollment to defray tuition costs and costs of materials, supplies, safety equipment, labs and other expenses. Awards will be made each academic year for the August/September term, with announcements of recipients made at each NEPIRC MFG Day event for as long as such event is held -with recipients and their families as complimentary guests.
Other details:
- Should the position of NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Talent Stream Coordinator change over time, be discontinued or be occupied by an individual other than Jenelle Osborne, any member of the extended Esoda family, currently consisting of Eric Joseph Esoda, Kim Ann Dougherty, Joseph J. Dougherty Sr., or Joseph J. Dougherty Jr. reserve the right to change the evaluative criteria and methodology of the scholarship fund OR discontinue the scholarship fund at any time.
- This scholarship should be a scholarship of last resort -meaning that all other avenues of financial aid should be pursued before the awarding of this scholarship. This is to ensure that the scholarship goes to students in need AFTER the application of all grants and other possible awards.
- Student recipients should be encouraged to write letters of thanks to Ms. Grace Esoda, surviving spouse of Joseph J. Esoda, for as long as she is his surviving spouse. Address for such letters will be provided by Kim Ann Dougherty each year.
