Press release:
The family of Patrick J. Pedro is pleased to announce the establishment of a scholarship in his name to be awarded to a high school senior at Oakfield-Alabama Central School. Patrick was a graduate of the school and a highly accomplished person. He passed away in May after a very difficult battle with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS).
Patrick grew up in Oakfield, where he later became the 2008 Inductee in the Oakfield-Alabama High School Alumni Hall of Fame. He received his undergraduate magna cum laude from Bucknell University and a Law degree from University of Notre Dame where he received awards at graduation for legal writing and appellant advocacy. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Patrick was an attorney employed by Bond, Schoeneck and King in Syracuse in 1984, became a partner in 1993 and practiced there his entire career until his retirement at the end of 2014. He practiced primarily in the areas of business law and health care law, and his clients ranged from start-up companies to some of the most prominent individuals and businesses in central and northern New York State. At BS&K he was deputy department chair of the Business Law Department, chair of the Health Law Practice Group, and the firm’s Marketing Partner.
He supported the visual and performing arts in the community as a performer in community theater, a patron and board member of the Syracuse Opera and The Everson Museum of Art.
-- The scholarship will provide a graduating HS senior with tuition assistance toward a college degree related to his or her professional goal. The profession pursued will ultimately serve his or her community and society as a whole.
The college must be an accredited 4-year institution that offers degrees toward the recipient’s professional goal which may include but is not limited to the following:
Law, Business, Engineering, Communications, Medicine – Health & Human Services, Psychology, Visual and Performing Arts, Education, Sciences, Mathematics, Languages, Political Science, Sociology or Physical, Occupational or Speech Therapy.
Criteria:
- GPA of 90 or above upon graduation;
- School Involvement – including but not limited to: School government, music, theatre, sports, academic clubs;
- Community Involvement – volunteer work, involvement in applicant’s place of worship, organizations not associated with school or nonprofit organizations.
- Exhibits EXCELLENT character in relating to peers, colleagues, teachers and supervisors.
Applicant submission criteria:
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Resume outlining the above criteria.
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Character reference from a HS teacher.
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Applicant will submit an essay stating short- and long-term professional goals, and the activities and experiences that have led to this decision (i.e. Why do you want to pursue this degree/profession?).
To make your tax-deductible donation, checks may be forwarded to: Oakfield-Alabama Dollars for Scholars Inc.
P.O. Box 102
Oakfield, NY 14125
Please write “Patrick J. Pedro Scholarship” on the Memo Line
Include a return self-addressed envelope so that your tax-deductible receipt can be mailed back to you.
If you would like to be part of a mailing list to get periodic updates regarding the scholarship fund, money awarded and recipient information, please send your name and email address to pjpscholarship@gmail.com. If you would like to speak with someone directly, please contact Andy Pedro at (585) 344-7017.
The family of Patrick Pedro would like to thank you in advance for your donation that will help create and maintain this scholarship in Patrick’s honor for many years to come!
