The O’Malley Scholarship Transitions to Kolbe Cathedral High School
January 9, 2024 | Foundations in Education | General Media Mentions News
Foundations in Education recently announced that The Mary Alice and Thomas O’Malley Scholarship, currently in its 6th year, will be redirected and made available solely to students of Kolbe Cathedral High School in Bridgeport, beginning the 2024/25 academic year.
The scholarship covers up to 80% of tuition of children of current Fairfield County Police Officers, Firefighters and Hospital-based Registered Nurses to attend Kolbe Cathedral High School in Bridgeport. Prospective O’Malley scholars must have at least one parent currently working full-time in this role for a minimum of one year.
The grant is renewable provided parents’ employment eligibility remains unchanged, students remain in good standing academically, financially and within the school’s code of conduct, and while available funding permits.
Mary Alice and Thomas O’Malley, longtime Greenwich residents, originally established the O’Malley Scholarship in 2018. At the time, it was limited to Greenwich or Stamford and Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford.
In year three, with the closing of Trinity, the scholarship was extended to all Diocese of Bridgeport-sponsored high schools. Since its inception, the O’Malley Scholarship has awarded $532,566 to twenty-one high school students.
Prompted by a new commitment of $500,000 over 5 years, and beginning with the 2024/25 academic year, the scholarship will transition to Kolbe Cathedral High School. Students with at least one parent employed full-time for a minimum of one year in one of the aforementioned positions across Fairfield County are encouraged to apply. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2024.
“We are pleased to support this scholarship,” shared Mary Alice O’Malley. “Both Tom’s and my families have served their communities in nursing and as members of police and fire departments in the Northeast.”
“I am grateful for the O’Malleys’ commitment,” remarked The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, who worked with the couple to renew their commitment to Catholic education.
“The O’Malley Scholarship will serve a group of students for whom I trust the experience will be transformational.”
The scholarship application process and management will be administered by Foundations in Education, a non-profit initiative created to assist the Diocese of Bridgeport’s ongoing mission to support Catholic education in Fairfield County. Awards will be determined in consultation with Kolbe Cathedral High School’s Principal, Admissions and Dean of Students.
Kolbe Cathedral High School has begun promoting the scholarship within their school community and through local police and fire departments and area hospitals.
Kolbe Principal Camille Figluizzi commented, “Kolbe Cathedral is so fortunate to be able to acknowledge parents who dedicate their lives to service to others with this monetary award for their children. For this, we are so thankful.”
Kolbe Cathedral High School is a Catholic co-educational, four-year urban high school established by the Diocese of Bridgeport, and dedicated to serving a diverse, multicultural population. It currently has an enrollment of about 325 students. Kolbe’s mission is to empower students with knowledge, skills and Catholic values.
The mission of Foundations in Education is to strengthen and transform the mission of Catholic education in the Diocese of Bridgeport by providing tuition assistance to families in need and supporting innovation in academic programs and fostering opportunities for the professional development of school leaders.
For more information, visit https://kolbecaths.org.