July 10, 2015

Archdiocesan Class of 2015 Earns Over $300 Million in College Scholarships

The Office of Catholic Education (OCE) and Faith in the Future are proud to announce that 3,362 young men and women who graduated from the 17 high schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in June have earned a grand total of $301,705,553 in scholarships. 95% of the Class of 2015 will pursue a post-secondary education. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia also had a high school graduation rate of 99% this year.

Among the scholarship winners are two 2015 Coca-Cola Scholars Jessica Pasquarello from Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School, and Sydney Sherman from Archbishop Wood High School (Bucks County).  The Coca-Cola Scholars program annually awards 150 high school graduates scholarships of $20,000, which can be used to further their education anytime within the next ten years, so it may be used for graduate school or other learning materials, such as a computer. The winners and a family member were flown to Atlanta to meet the other scholars this spring.  In addition to being recipients of scholarships from the prestigious Coca-Cola Scholarship Foundation, both Ms. Pasquarello and Ms. Sherman are Neumann Scholars, who attended their respective Archdiocesan high schools on full academic scholarships provided by the Connelly Foundation.

“We are proud of the Class of 2015 and their many accomplishments in the classrooms, on the playing fields, and in service to their communities,” said Christopher Mominey, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary for Catholic Education. “As they prepare for the next chapter in their lives over the summer months, they and all of our students inspire us to strive to fulfill our core purpose as Catholic school educators in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which is to equip saints for life in this world and the next. As our newest graduates take the next step, we offer them prayerful best wishes in all their future endeavors.”

Over half (54%) of the members of the Archdiocesan Class of 2015 were offered at least one college scholarship. 6,585 total scholarships were awarded to members of the Archdiocesan Class of 2015. Since 2000, Archdiocesan high school graduates have earned more than $2.9 billion in scholarships.

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Editor’s Note: For information about Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit www.catholicschools-phl.org. For information about Faith in the Future, please visit www.faithinthefuture.com.

Contact
Bonnie Olinger
Communications Specialist
215-587-3747