Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Present Check for Corcoran Scholarship at The University of Scranton
Thomas P. Cummings, seated right, from the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County’s Dr. John Corcoran Scholarship Committee, presents a check to University of Scranton President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., seated far left, and this year’s scholarship recipient, University of Scranton student Greylan Heffernan, seated center, in support of her study abroad in Galway, Ireland. Standing, from left, representing the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County, are John L. Walker, president, Patrick J Cummings, vice president, and Robert J. Lynett, assistant treasurer; and Michael R. Simons, director of study abroad and global initiatives at The University of Scranton.
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County recently presented a check to The University of Scranton for the Dr. John Corcoran Scholarship for Study in Ireland. This year’s scholarship winner is Greylan Heffernan ’13 of Taylor.
The scholarship winner is chosen based on services, activities, interests, work experience, a personal statement, essay and having a grade point average of 3.0 or above.
A dean’s list student at the University, Heffernan is a English major with minors in communication and history. She volunteers at the Lackawanna Public Library and at fundraisers for the St. Stanislaus Polish National Catholic Youth Group. She will study at the National University of Ireland in Galway.
She is the daughter of Loretta Heffernan of Taylor.
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. Dr. Corcoran passed away in 1997.
The recipients traditionally spend at least one semester at one of Ireland’s leading universities. Upon returning, the scholarship recipient discusses his or her study abroad experience with the executive committee of the Friendly Sons. Through this program, nearly 30 students have received in excess of $40,000 from the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County to promote better understanding and relationships between young men and women of the United States and residents of the country of Ireland.
Judge Richard P. Conaboy serves as chair of the Dr. John H. Corcoran Scholarship Committee. Other committee members are Thomas P. Cummings, Thomas P. Doherty, Richard P. Conaboy, Jr., and Patrick J. Sheridan.
