Sons-St-Partick-Corcoran Scholarship
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County recently presented a check to The University of Scranton for the Dr. John H. Corcoran Scholarship for Study in Ireland. Seated are, from left, John Keeler, president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Corcoran Scholarship recipient Patrick Bannon, and Tracy Bannon, Patrick’s mother. Standing, from left, are Richard P. Conaboy Jr., representing the Honorable Richard P. Conaboy, chairman of the scholarship committee; University of Scranton President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.; Joseph (Jay) Bannon, M.D., and Charles Bannon, M.D., Patrick’s father and grandfather respectively; and Michael Simons, director, study abroad/global initiatives at The University of Scranton.
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County recently presented a check for $5,000 to The University of Scranton for the Dr. John Corcoran Scholarship for Study in Ireland. This year’s scholarship winner is Patrick J. Bannon, an English major from Clarks Summit.
In 1984, the Friendly Sons established a perpetual scholarship fund to finance academic study in Ireland by a college student. Since its inception, the scholarship has been given in alternate years to a student from The University of Scranton and Marywood University. In 1994, the scholarship was renamed in honor of the late John H. Corcoran, D.M.D. Dr. Corcoran, who was the oldest past president and member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County, played a prominent role in advancing the goals of the society and in particular in encouraging young members to participate in the activities sponsored by the society.
The Dr. John Corcoran Scholarship committee members are Judge James M. Munley, Thomas P. Cummings, Attorney James J. Haggerty, Professor John Pryle, Thomas P. Doherty, Richard P. Conaboy Jr., Judge Terrence R. Nealon, Patrick J. Sheridan, CPA, and Judge Richard P. Conaboy, chairman.
Scholarship recipients spend at least one semester at a college-level institution in Ireland and, upon return, discuss their experiences in Ireland with the executive committee of the Friendly Sons. The scholarship winner is chosen based on a GPA of 3.0 or above, services, activities, interests and work experience, and a personal statement and essay. Since 1984, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick has donated $42,000 to The University of Scranton through the scholarship program.
Mr. Bannon, a junior, will study at the National University of Ireland in Galway.
A graduate of Scranton Preparatory School, Mr. Bannon is a member of the university’s prestigious Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Program. He is also on the editorial staff of Esprit, the university’s literary magazine. He is the son of University of Scranton Trustee Joseph (Jay) Bannon, M.D., and Tracy Bannon, Clarks Summit, both of whom are graduates of The University of Scranton.
