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Tri-County graduate, Nailah Anderson excelled at a variety of tasks during her internship at the Turrell Fund this summer. “Prior to this internship I had no idea of the big impact Turrell has on New Jersey communities,” says Nailah, adding, “In this two-month period I’ve learned more about child development, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), grant-giving, and final reports than I ever thought possible! I joined current Vice President of Events, Justin Kiczek, for visits to the Community Foodbank of NJ, Sharron Miller Academy of Performing Arts, Student Partner Alliance, and so many others. I learned so much about the nonprofit world and just how necessary and beneficial nonprofits are to our society.” Turrell President Curt Fields and Program Director, Justin Kiczek were very impressed with Nailah’s work ethic and critical thinking skills. “Nailah has been superb. A good listener, careful, curious, and friendly. My only problem with her is she is too efficient!” jokes Justin, adding, “In no time, she plowed through half of the projects I assigned her!” Nailah says, “I am more than thankful I got to meet and work amongst the people at Turrell. I’m excited to keep in contact with all the wonderful people I met along the way. Thank you, Tri-County, for introducing me to this wonderful internship”

A rising junior at DeSales University, Valentina Arias worked at Catholic Book Publishing Company this summer. The welcoming atmosphere along with the multiple projects to which she was assigned created a stimulating and enjoyable summer job. Valentina was thrilled to learn about the field of publishing although she had some trepidations about performing well. “It was scary at first since I was much younger than everyone,” Valentina admits. But she soon got into the swing, saying, “My boss, Bob Cavalero (a Tri-County Trustee) was very welcoming and supportive, and Carla Arcangelo, his assistant, was always willing to help even when she was busy with other tasks. I enjoyed learning from co-workers who were editing, creating illustrations, or working with finances. They were all a pleasure to work with. I was especially fascinated by the process of filing the copyrights and imprimaturs,” shares Valentina. Valentina feels grateful to have learned so much about publishing and plans on “using every skill I acquired.” She says, “I would really like to thank Tri-County for helping me with this opportunity and also The Catholic Book Publishing Company for everything they taught me and the great summer I had with them!”

A junior majoring in Computer Science at Cornell University with a 3.0 GPA, Kevin Arias enjoyed a summer 2019 internship at Univision. Kevin says, “With this internship I feel I acquired a good deal of knowledge about the corporate world, while also learning about project management and data science.” In addition to his strong work ethic and computer science acumen, Kevin is deeply dedicated to helping others. He is grateful to Tri-County Scholarship for the support he received through high school, believing this prepared him for his experiences at Cornell and at Univision. “If it weren’t for Tri-County, I wouldn’t have been able to get through high school. They helped out a lot with the finances,” says Kevin.

Over 80 Tri-County friends and trustees enjoyed a fun day of sporting clays shooting, and an authentic barbecue pig roast on September 12 at the beautiful Hudson Farm nature preserve in Andover New Jersey.  It was a perfect afternoon, with overcast cool skies, followed by cocktails in the historic farmhouse, and cigars on the front porch. Thank you to our committee and major sponsors:  Crum & Forster, Validus Re, Anne and Paul Krump, Bob and Laurie-Anne Bailey, and Sandelands Eyet Law LLP. Thank you also to our station sponsors:  Bank of America Merrill Lynch, PBF Energy, Chubb, Crum & Forster, Jim Franson and Validus Reinsurance Co., The Jones Group- Ameriprise Financial, Robert A. Scirocco Law Offices,  Mike Lehman of the Lehman Eger Wealth Management Group, and our event Chair, Paul Onderdonk. See you at next year’s Tri-County Sporting Clays! VIEW EVENT PAGE AND PHOTO GALLERY

Shaquille Coppin was on the cusp of graduating when Paterson Catholic High School closed a few years ago. Unsure of where to turn, Shaquille felt fortunate that Tri-County provided a scholarship, enabling him to transfer to Paramus Catholic High School to complete his senior year. This represented a significant transition for him. “It enriched my academic experience and made me more independent,” says Shaquille. He feels this environment helped equip him with the self-reliance needed to succeed at college. Four years later, Shaquille is currently a college senior successfully pursuing a 5-year Business Management Degree with a minor in Business Law at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. Shaquille’s commitment to learning began early. He was greatly influenced by his mother and grandmother, both of whom “always set high goals for me,” says Shaquille. And he hasn’t disappointed them. Shaquille is studying hard for the LSAT in order to obtain a law degree. His participation in the Business Law Association and the Young Entrepreneurs Club provides him with enriched opportunities to explore and develop his capabilities in both these areas of interest. “It’s a lot to juggle,” says Shaquille. But he is determined to do well in college, realizing it is an important step in helping him prepare for his ultimate goal of pursuing a career in Business Law, a field combining his two favorite areas of study. Professor Raymond Butkus, who Shaquille met last year when he enrolled in Butkus’s class on principles of customer service, provides inspiration for Shaquille and is an ongoing source of practical business skills and advice. Butkus describes himself as a practitioner, rather than an academic, having worked many years in the corporate sector prior to teaching, first as an executive and then serving as CEO for two companies, successively. Says Butkus, “Shaquille quickly stood out as a real model student who was the most engaged of all the students. He naturally assumed an informal leadership role in the class.” The two men remain very close through Saint Peter’s “accompaniment” program that mentors a student through the critically important job-seeking process. Butkus says, “Having seen tens of thousands of resumes and interviewed thousands of candidates… there are certain qualities I always look for… work ethic, intellectual curiosity… and how the candidates comport themselves. These are strong indicators of success in the business world. I would rate Shaq very highly…he is remarkable. I have great expectations for him.”

Living in a cramped basement apartment in Paterson was not easy for Aaron McLean and his family. But his parents were determined that Aaron and his two younger brothers would have top-notch educational opportunities including attending private schools. His father, Donovan, arrived in this country first and worked for 6 years as a carpet installer.  He saved money to be able to bring his wife, Andreen and young Aaron here from Jamaica. Once his family arrived, Donovan took on a second job while Andreen earned money cleaning homes. Hard work, the value of education and determination to succeed were imprinted early on young Aaron. “Both my parents instilled discipline and determination in me. My mom was always there when I had a test or report. She would break down the material with me. She really dug into whatever assignment I had to do,” Aaron explains. His parents hoped to send Aaron to a safe, quality school, but it was difficult paying for the rent and private school tuition. Tri-County stepped in to help Aaron with scholarships, and provided critical tuition assistance each year from elementary school until he graduated DePaul High School. “I can’t thank Tri-County and all the donors enough.  They really helped us a lot. I don’t think I could have made it without Tri-County” says Aaron. Once in High School, Aaron’s passion for medicine began to form. In his Junior year alone, he took 7 honors classes.  “I took so many sciences:  Honors Anatomy & Physiology, Genetics, and then AP Biology. I want to become a surgeon or cardiologist. I really like how the heart works,” says Aaron. Tri-County scholarships helped Aaron on his way to now being a pre-med student in college. Aaron currently attends Rutgers, Newark, as a Freshman, Pre-Med with a minor in Spanish. He is humble about being admitted into Rutgers’ highly selective, prestigious Honors College on a full scholarship where, as the website explains, “curious and motivated students are prepared to become leaders in their professions and communities.” He admits that he feels some pressure. “They expect a lot from me,” Aaron says, adding that he tries not to worry too much, instead putting his energy toward working hard to excel. In addition to his parents, Aaron said there were many people who were consistently supportive and helped him.  Says Aaron, “Ms. Biggins, my guidance counselor, helped me at every step, and the President of my school, Mr. Tweed, gave me summer internships.  And of course, the Tri-County supporters were always there for me.” Aaron feels fortunate to be part of the Tri-County family, and enjoys being able to meet many of the donors. “I just hope that a lot more kids have this opportunity that I’ve had. I definitely want to donate large sums of money in the future. That’s one of the things that motivates me to work hard,” says Aaron.

6th Annual Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon Photo Gallery

June 3, 2019 Morris County Country Club: Thank you to the sponsors, donors, golfers and volunteers for making the 27th Annual Tri-County Golf Invitational a great success! The annual golf event raised $140,000 beating last year’s total by nearly $20,000. The proceeds will provide scholarships for 50 elementary and high school aged inner-city students to attend quality schools in the coming school year. 110 golfers came out to enjoy the beautiful day and the gorgeous grounds at the Morris County Golf Club in Morristown, NJ. The outing featured two hole-in-one opportunities sponsored by Audi of Bridgewater and Mendham, and Maplecrest Ford of Mendham, as well as a putting contest, 50/50 raffle, and a silent auction featuring many exclusive prizes. Golfers enjoyed dinner on the Club’s outdoor terrace overlooking the course. Tri-County high school Freedom Scholarship recipient, Emmanuel Dyer, a sophomore at Eastern Christian High School in North Haledon, shared his story. A partial scholarship from Tri-County coupled with the significant sacrifice of his parents to provide the balance of tuition, gives Emmanuel the freedom to rise above his family’s challenging financial circumstances and pursue a quality education. Congratulations and gratitude to the 27th Annual Golf Invitational co-chairs, Mark Bode of PWC and Jack Farr of Bank of America Merrill Lynch and the Golf Committee members: Brian Clark, Michael Frodella, Quentin Murray, Fred Pierce, Eric Seguin, Joseph Stefans, and Robert Waldele. Thank you to our generous sponsors. Tournament Co-Sponsors: Halfway House Sponsor: Chito Zulueta/Eli Lilly and Company Tee Sponsors: Assumption Parish, Atlantic Health System, Bergman Real Estate & Time Equities, CIT Group, Crum and Forster, DePaul Catholic High School, Hawthorne Christian Academy, the Howard Family, The Lehman Eger Group/Merrill Lynch, M&T Bank, Mary Help of Christians Academy, MRY Associations, OritaniBank Foundation, Paramus Catholic High School, Pope John XXIII High School, R. Seelaus & Co., Inc., UBS/Borealis Wealth Management, and the Waldele Family. 2019 Golf Invitation Gallery

Tri-County Scholarship Fund Honors Four Outstanding Women at 7th Annual Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon April 11, 2019 L to R: Tri-County co-chair, Joseph Gonnella, Honorees—Jessica Ortiz, Esq., Paula Mandell, Anneliese Seelaus Mitnick, Michele R. Neves; Tri-County President, Prudence Pigott, and Tri-County co-chair, Rebecca Levy, Esq. Four outstanding women were honored at Tri-County Scholarship Fund’s 7th Annual Women of Achievement Luncheon held at the Canoe Brook Country Club on April 11th. Honored at the event were Paula Mandell, Senior VP and Area Executive for M&T Bank, Anneliese Seelaus Mitnick, CEO of R. Seelaus & Co., Inc., Michele R. Neves, Principal of Immaculate Conception High School-Montclair, and Jessica Ortiz, Esq., partner with the law firm MoloLamken LLP. While each of the honorees has an impressive record of achievement, their desire and willingness to empower others with opportunities for success caught the nominating committee’s attention. The honorees were selected by the Tri-County event committee co-chaired by Tri-County trustees, Joseph Gonnella, Chief Development Officer for Boys Scouts of America, Rebecca Levy, Esq., General Council for Summit Medical Group, Sally Glick, Principal and Chief Growth Strategist for SobelCo, and Tri-County Scholarship Fund president, Prudence Pigott. Sally Glick with Yecenia Duran presiding over the Scholarship Auction The event raised a record-breaking $140,000 for Tri-County’s Freedom Scholar program— a partnership between TCSF, schools and families —which provides scholarships to financially-disadvantaged high school students so that they are able to afford values-centered, high-performing private high schools. Tri-County also helps the students throughout high school with mentoring, tutoring, college prep courses and more. Due to the generosity of the Luncheon’s attendees and honorees, Tri-County will award a full 28 more one-year scholarships. Some of our Tri-County Scholarship Recipients All four women addressed a sold-out crowd of 300, including over two dozen of Tri-County’s high school scholarship recipients who heard the honorees’ messages of encouragement that they too can overcome obstacles and forge their own paths of success. Anneliese Seelaus Mitnick of R. Seelaus & Co., Inc., having matriculated from Oak Knoll High School in Summit, NJ and then Princeton University, recognized the gift of an excellent education. Since taking the helm as CEO for the company in 2015, Seelaus-Mitnick has focused on making the firm mission-driven in helping to serve the community and in providing opportunities for women in finance. Paula Mandell of M&T Bank, spoke of her rise from bank teller to Senior Vice President and Area Executive for the bank. In her career, Mandell was most fulfilled by helping others find their own path to success. Jessica Ortiz, Esq., partner with the NY firm Mololamken LLP, spoke about her journey through the challenging environment of an inner city high school in upstate New York, and how this experience motivated and transformed her. Notably, Ortiz is one of a small percentage of Latina attorneys in the US and one of a still smaller percentage to become a partner at a major law firm. Michele R. Neves, Principal at Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair, NJ has been a champion for financially-disadvantaged and inner city students throughout her 35+ years in education, much of it in Paterson, New Jersey. Neves, who has worked closely with the Tri-County organization throughout her career, paid tribute to her colleagues who have helped her foster a school environment that allows disadvantaged students to excel and reach their full potential. At Immaculate Conception, Neves has revitalized the school, nearly doubling enrollment in her tenure as Principal and increasing the participation of parents in the school’s success. All of the honorees are passionate about Tri-County’s mission to provide K-12 scholarships to financially disadvantaged students to attend safe, values-based schools. Tri-County Alumna Melissa Arca Also addressing the crowd were Tri-County Alumna, Melissa Arca, and current Tri-County student, Yecenia Duran. Melissa Arca, who attended Paramus Catholic High School, will graduate in May with a degree in Biochemistry from St. Peters University and is in the process of applying to medical school. Yecenia Duran, a senior at Mary Help of Christian Academy in North Haledon has received a full scholarship to Felician University where she will pursue a nursing degree. Both young women cited a parent as their role model and hero, expressed gratitude for the generosity of Tri-County donors and look forward to a time when they will be in the position to pay it forward. Tri-County student, Yecenia Duran Tri-County Scholarship Fund was founded in 1981. Alarmed by the failing public school system and the mounting inequalities in educational choice for families in poorer communities, a group of New Jersey business leaders joined forces to create an organization that would provide scholarship assistance, based solely on financial need, for students to attend private K-12 schools. Since 1981, Tri-County has awarded over 32,000 scholarships, amounting to more than 28-million dollars. Families in the lowest income levels are able to choose safe educational opportunities for their children in private schools that offer a sense of family and a disciplined learning environment. Each year, Tri-County has been able to award about 450 scholarships but the waiting list of deserving applicants is nearly 2000. Since Tri-County provides partial scholarships, parents make significant financial sacrifices to provide this educational opportunity for their children. They are indeed the unsung heroes of the Tri-County mission.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 2018 MEDIA CONTACT For Tri-County Scholarship Fund: Ashley W. Kearney Director of Publicity ashley@ashleykearney.com Ph: 713-899-6021 PARSIPPANY, NJ – Four successful women will be honored at the 6th Annual Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon benefiting Tri-County Scholarship Fund’s (Tri-County) Freedom Scholars program. The New Jersey non-profit – which annually provides 400+ scholarships for many of the state’s most financially disadvantaged children, enabling them to attend accredited K-12 values-based private and parochial schools – will host the fundraiser on Thursday, April 12 at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, NJ. The 6th Annual Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon will begin at 11:00 a.m. with a reception, followed by lunch and a program from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Co-chaired by Ann Marie Manahan and Joseph Gonnella, the event directly benefits Tri-County’s Freedom Scholars program – which is a partnership between Tri-County, schools, and families and assists financially disadvantaged high school students afford values-centered, high-performing private schools and also helps them from their Freshman through their Senior year with mentoring, tutoring, college prep courses and more. Being honored at the 2018 luncheon are the following: Rosemary Mercedes, Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer of Univision Communications, Inc.; Rebecca Levy, Esq., General Counsel for Summit Medical Group, PA and Chief Legal Officer of Summit Health Management, LLC.; Reema Puri, Vice President of Human Resources for Nevakar, Inc.; and Denise Flanagan, Broker and Sales Consultant with Coldwell Banker. “We couldn’t be more pleased to honor these four amazing women, all of whom are passionate about the Tri-County Scholarship Fund mission and support us in so many different ways,” explained Prudence Pigott, President of Tri-County Scholarship Fund. “Their work and efforts are inspiring to all who encounter them – especially our students – and we thank them for all they have accomplished.” Rosemary Mercedes is the first Chief Communications Officer for Univision Communications, Inc., the leading media company serving Hispanic America and the rising diverse, American mainstream. She defines Univision’s overall communication strategy and she has played an integral role in building and executing some of Univision’s most successful communications and awareness campaigns in the past 10 years. Her impact has been recognized by the industry a number of times throughout her career; most recently Mercedes was named the 2017 Pioneer of the Year by the Hispanic Public Relations Association. She was named to The Holmes Report’s 2016 List of Rising Communications Leaders in North America, among the Top Women in PR by PR News, and as one of the Top 40 Under 40 PR Professionals in the U.S. by PR Week magazine. Rebecca Levy, Esq. has served as Summit Medical Group, P.A.’s General Counsel since 2011. In 2014, she was also named the Chief Legal Officer of Summit Health Management, LLC, an entity that offers a population health-focused model of management services to healthcare organizations in New Jersey, Arizona and Oregon. Levy is responsible for oversight of all legal and compliance matters and she is also responsible for oversight of the Human Resources Department, the Risk Management and Patient Safety Department, the Coding Compliance Department and the Summit Medical Group Foundation. Levy also serves as the Vice President of the Summit Medical Group Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. She was named a New Jersey SuperLawyers “Rising Star” in 2010 and 2011, was listed among NJ Biz magazine’s 40 Under 40 in 2014 and was a finalist in NJBiz magazine’s General Counsel of the Year awards in 2015. Reema Puri serves as the Vice President of Human Resources at Nevakar, Inc., a company that she helped found and grow along with her husband, Navneet.  Nevakar is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative products in the injectable and ophthalmic space. With more than 15 years of combined experience within the Pharma industry, Puri has had tremendous success in Research & Development and Human Resources. Puri has parlayed her expertise in helping young women in New Jersey by mentoring and serving as an Advisory Board member at the New Jersey Women in STEM Entrepreneurship & Innovation Challenge. In fact, she is recently the recipient of the 2018 AWISN New Jersey Women in STEM Mentoring Award. In addition, the Puri Family supports educational endowments for graduate students at Rutgers University and Reema is on the board of Vedic Samaj, where she is the President and also serves as a Board of Trustees member. Denise Flanagan is a very successful real estate professional, in addition to being a trusted colleague, friend, mentor, and community volunteer. Her many accomplishments include being a certified Real Estate Broker, a Manager/Broker of Record, a member of the New Jersey Real Estate Commission, and a Certified Tax Assessor. She has consistently been a recipient of many awards and honors including the Million Dollar Sales Club from 1984-1991 with Schlott Realtors and from 1992-1994 with Coldwell Banker. While with Coldwell Banker, Flanagan received the North Central Jersey Association of Realtors Circle of Excellence Gold Level in 2005 and from 2007-2012 as well as the Silver Level in 2006. She has been in the President’s Elite Top 1% Worldwide and in the New Jersey Association of Realtors Distinguished Sales Club. Since 1979, a span of thirty-four years, Denise has sold over 1,000 homes, an average of 25-30 homes a year. Those wishing to attend the 6th Annual Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon can purchase tickets for $95 each at www.tcsfund.org/events. Various scholarship sponsorships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, for a full year’s tuition, are also available. To inquire about sponsorships or table sales, contact Minnie Simon at Tri-County Scholarship Fund at 973-984-9600. ### ABOUT TRI-COUNTY SCHOLARSHIP FUND Combining their talents, Bishop Frank Joseph Rodimer of Paterson and New Jersey businessman Ed Hennessy created Tri-County Scholarship Fund (Tri-County) in 1981. Since then, Tri-County has provided over $25 million in partial financial scholarships to financially disadvantaged children in Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties, enabling them to attend accredited K-12 private and parochial schools. Tri-County provides scholarship assistance to students based on financial need, with students reflecting the diversity of their communities. To date, Tri-County has given more than 31,000 scholarships to many of New Jersey’s inner-city children, providing them access to the superior and safer option of values-based private schools. For more information, log on to www.tcsfund.org.