Nine Mount Saint Mary College students recently completed the 2022-2023 Walden Savings Bank Medici Scholars Program. Front, left to right: Lauren Bonawandt of Manorville, N.Y.; Emily Alta of Newburgh, N.Y., and Edelin Mora Lora of Newburgh, N.Y. Back, left to right: Frank Gargano of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Jordan Rush of Valhalla, N.Y.; and Chris Montenegro of Bridgeport, Conn. Not pictured: Samantha Bendig of Tampa, Fla.; Sofia Gannon of East Patchogue, N.Y; and Sophia Reed of Dover, N.J.
Nine Mount Saint Mary College students recently completed the Walden Savings Bank Medici Scholars Program.
At the completion ceremony for this year’s program, held at the Walden Savings Bank Main Offices, Walden Savings Bank President and CEO, Derrik R. Wynkoop congratulated the students on a job well done.
This academic year, the students – the seventh group to finish the prestigious initiative since its inception in 2015 – used their business insight to aid the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley to achieve its philanthropic goals. This culminated with presenting a $500 check to A Single Bite of Sullivan County, an organization that educates young adults on why nutritious food is important and how to make healthy choices. Sara Hazelnis, director of Operations at A Single Bite, was on-hand for the ceremony.
Medici Scholars is a competitive program open to a handful of Mount Business students each year. It’s made possible through an endowed gift to the Mount from Walden Savings Bank. The program is overseen on the Mount’s campus by Anthony Scardillo, Medici faculty advisor and assistant professor of Marketing.
Through the generosity of Walden Savings Bank, the collaborative Medici program prepares students for leadership and principled corporate citizenship. The program introduces undergraduate Business and Accounting students to the world of arts and nonprofits to foster a better understanding of the important role the business community plays in supporting them.
The program is named after the House of Medici, a banking family from 15th century Italy whose greatest contributions involved sponsoring art and architecture. For that reason, the Medici name is perfect for the program, said Wynkoop.