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Scholar Circumstances
Blue White Helps Villanova Students who are working their way through college and many who have experienced extraordinary or unexpected financial hardship
Unexpected Circumstances
Meet Francesca Cocchi
In the middle of Francesca’s high school career, her dad began losing his eyesight. He went through a total of five surgeries in a year - complications during one of them resulted in a macular hole and two cataracts, leaving him legally blind in his left eye and on permanent disability. Francesca’s family accepted forgiveness from the US Department of Education for the balance of her sister’s parent plus college loans for West Virginia University.
A condition of that acceptance is that her parents could not take out any new Federal Parent Plus loans for another child’s education. Francesca took two federal student loans in her own name as well as a work-study, and her parents struggled to cover the remainder month to month. Please consider supporting Blue White to help “Bridge the Gap” for more students like Francesca.
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Francesca graduated in 2016 and is now an Assistant Editor at the Food Network Magazine in New York City.
An English & Honors Major
Francesca
Working His Way Through
Meet David Castelli
A Mechanical Engineering & Business Major
When David finished classes at Villanova for the day, his work had only just begun. Between working as a teaching assistant in the College of Engineering and being a Student Football Equipment Manager, David dedicated 15-20 hours per week to earning money toward his tuition. His parents are hard-working people: his father picks up holiday, weekend, and overnight shifts in addition to his full-time hours as a mechanic.
His mother had a teaching career before taking leave to care for David’s grandmother, who suffers from clinical depression and breast cancer. As you can see, David was doing everything he could to earn money toward tuition. Blue White gave David that extra help he so desperately needed. Please consider making a contribution to Blue White to help more students like Dave "Bridge the Gap"
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David graduated in 2018 and is now a Financial Analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co in New York City.
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David
Patricia’s dad is a high school teacher and is the primary source of income for their family of eight. Therefore, her parents cannot afford to send all six children to college. It is only with the help of generous donors like you that Patricia is able to attend Villanova University. Villanova was Patricia’s dream school from the very beginning of the college application process.
On discovering her Blue White acceptance, she was ecstatic but also nervous because of the cost. Patricia knew that she would be responsible for paying for her college education. With no help from her parents or other family members, the thought of taking out such a big student loan was unsettling. However, with the help of scholarships and student loans, Patricia has the chance to realize her dream of attending Villanova.
Large Family
Meet Patricia Gresco
Math & Secondary Education
Patricia
Family Business
Meet the Twins
Ryan Mazzie & Christian Mazzie
Twin brothers Christian and Ryan Mazzie have been through the thick and thin of brotherhood, exemplifying the dedication of family. When sickness struck their family, medical bills quickly multiplied and their father was forced to take time away from the family business, thus affecting their livelihood and ability to afford college.
As of this year, the Mazzie family will be responsible for paying three college tuitions when the twin's younger sister joins them on the Villanova's campus. With the help of generous contributions from donors like you, the Mazzie family can put their three hard-working children through school.
"Your generosity and empathy for Villanovans is truly inspiring," says Ryan Mazzie. "Not only does it embody the University’s core values of veritas, unitas, and caritas, but it radiates the love and passion you have for giving to others."
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Ryan is currently an Investment Banking Analyst at Goldman Sachs.
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Christian is currently an Associate at Marcus & Millichap
Mazzie
Ryan Mazzie
Finance/Accounting
Christian Mazzie
Real Estate/Marketing
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