Bona Alum Creates Scholarship for Southwestern High School Student > Chautauqua Region Community Foundation

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Bona Alum Creates Scholarship for Southwestern High School Student
Monday, October 17, 2011

St. Bonaventure University alumnus Thomas Marra and his wife Michelle recently made a donation to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to fund a scholarship for a Southwestern High School graduating senior(s) who plans to attend St. Bonaventure University.

"We wanted to show our support for both Southwestern High School and St. Bonaventure, so this gift will highlight the commitment to excellence of both institutions," said Tom Marra. Marra, an alumnus of Southwestern, is the president and CEO of Symetra Financial Corporation in Bellevue, Washington.

"The Southwestern High School family is very grateful to Tom and Michelle for this gift, and we are very happy it will help one of our students to attend such a fine institution as St. Bonaventure," said Michael Cipollo, principal of Southwestern High School. Cipollo is also a 1999, 2003, and 2005 graduate of St. Bonaventure.

"We are honored at the Community Foundation to administer this new fund from Tom and Michelle Marra for the benefit of students attending St. Bonaventure. The Foundation has a long relationship with the Marra Family beginning with the creation of the S. Ralph and Frances P. Marra Scholarship Fund which honors Tom`s parents with a wonderful scholarship," said Randy Sweeney, Executive Director of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

"Tom and Michelle have done so much to support St. Bonaventure, and this most recent gift is yet another example of their generosity and commitment to student success," said Sr. Margaret Carney, president of the University. "We will be delighted to welcome a Marra Scholar to our campus for many years to come."

For more information on the "The Marra Family St. Bonaventure Scholarship Fund" or any of the other scholarships offered by the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, please visit www.crcfonline.org or call (716) 661-3390.

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