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Frank and Pat Russo have been creating opportunities to help students succeed at Raritan Valley Community College for several years—first endowing the Frank S. and Patricia F. Russo Scholarship in 2019 and then transforming the annual RVCC Giving Day with a “Match Challenge” for two consecutive years (at $50,000 each).

But recently, the couple’s incredible generosity expanded even further as the Russos decided to propel their scholarship well into the future. Their gift is a $375,000 donation that will allow for five full scholarships to RVCC in each of the next 10 years.

It is the largest scholarship commitment in the College’s history.

“The role and intrinsic value of community colleges is undeniable,” said Frank Russo. “Our support of several recent students of Raritan Valley Community College provides objective evidence of that. We hope our commitment to RVCC is a model for others to follow.”

One of those students, Lucas Winkler, was a recipient this past year of the Frank S. and Patricia F. Scholarship at RVCC, which is among the most generous at the College. This fall he will be transferring to the University of Buffalo to pursue a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical science, a field in which he ultimately plans to pursue a PhD. Said Winkler, “I could not be more grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Russo—their generosity has been a difference-maker for me.”

Frank and Pat Russo both enjoyed storied careers in the telecommunications industry, at AT&T, and then, for Patricia Russo, as CEO at Lucent Technologies. They were difference makers in the corporate world and have carried that forward into a range of philanthropic interests. One beneficiary of their generosity is Raritan Valley Community College. When the  Russos established the Frank S. and Patricia F. Russo Scholarship in 2019, it was the most generous scholarship offered at RVCC. The scholarship has been awarded to five students each year since its inception.

“I know what it means to struggle or lose focus or maybe not even have the motivation to excel at all. That describes the early part of my life’s journey,” says Frank Russo. “But I eventually learned the importance of perseverance and determination. And with help along the way, including attending a community college in upstate New York, I overcame these obstacles. There are few things as gratifying as now having the ability to ‘pay that forward’ at RVCC.”

When the Russos’ generosity also helped transform RVCC’s annual Giving Day fundraising event by offering the first ever “Match Challenge,” that infusion was directly responsible for the unprecedented growth of Giving Day. Since then, Giving Day has become the most successful fundraising event of the year for the RVCC Foundation.

Added Pat Russo, herself a graduate of Georgetown University, “New Jersey was an important part of our lives and livelihoods; we raised our family there and made our career marks there. And while we don’t reside in the state any longer, we haven’t forgotten our roots and greatly value the role of education in helping people succeed in life and advance their economic interests. The role of community colleges in that quest could not be more unique and valuable. We recognize that and are more than happy to support Raritan Valley Community College.”

The RVCC Foundation is the fundraising arm of Raritan Valley Community College. It provides the resources that enable the College to enhance its programs beyond public and tuition sources and to maintain its standing as a premier academic institution and one of the most important sources of culture and continuing education in Somerset and Hunterdon counties.  

For those seeking additional information about ways to support the College and the work of the RVCC Foundation, contact Mike Marion at 908-648-8567 or michael.marion@raritanval.edu, or visit https://rvccfoundation.org.

RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2025

Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

PR #108