College of the Arts Students Receive 2016 Cento Amici Scholarships and Attend Annual Spring Dinner

Cento Amici’s 28th Annual Spring Scholarship Recipient Dinner celebrated education in New Jersey by awarding scholarships to students, including 15 Montclair State University College of the Arts students, 10 of whom were hosted at the event on April 4th at Alfie’s Ristorante Italiano, in Warren. The dinner also welcomed special guests Joe Piscopo, morning radio host and former Saturday Night Live star, and CNN Chief Business Correspondent and author Christine Romans, who helped honor the scholarship recipients.

The enduring generosity of Cento Amici (100 Friends), a community-based member organization founded in 1989, has provided need-based scholarship support to New Jersey students to enhance to educational opportunities for those who need it most.

“This event is always a highlight of the year for our members,” said Robert Zito, the founding president of Cento Amici. “The opportunity to meet the students, who are selected by their schools to receive our scholarships, is a great reminder of why we work to support funding these scholarships. They are truly tomorrow’s leaders.”

Students at the award ceremony and fundraising event had the privilege to be commended by Piscopo, who gave students autographed drum sticks after demonstrating his percussion skills, and Romans who shared signed copies of her recent book release, Smart is the New Rich: Money Guide for Millennials. Both shared inspiring talks about encouraging students to work toward meaningful change, giving back, and improving their communities.

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College of the Arts’ Award Recipients 

The Cento Amici Scholarship was established at Montclair State University in 1999 and has recognized more than 130 College of the Arts’ students since its inception. This year’s recipients (including their respective majors), representing each of the College of the Arts’ four academic units, are:

School of Music      

Evan Fleming, Music Education

Aurora Mendez, Music Performance

Rebecca Orlando, Music Education

Dana Rizzo, Music Education

Department of Theatre and Dance  

Juliana Chimenti, Musical Theatre

William Irvin, Dance

Brian Sedit, Acting

Yvonne Setlock, Dance

Kaitlyn Texel, Dance

School of Communication and Media

Kristie Keleshian, Television and Digital Media

Samantha Williams, Television and Digital Media

Francesca Ricotta, Public Relations 

Department of Art and Design

Tiffany Case, Animation Illustration

Even Tortorelli, Animation Illustration

Paige Fusco, Graphic Design

“The College of the Arts is grateful to have been chosen as a beneficiary institution of Cento Amici’s 100-plus friends – and we thank them for their generosity and support over the years. Particular thanks go to Cento Amici member Joseph Canderozzi, who initially brought the scholarship to Montclair and who serves on the College of the Arts’ Advisory Board,” said Linda Davidson, College of the Arts’ Assistant Dean.