HISTORY OF THE PENINSULA ITALIAN AMERICAN SOCIAL CLUB SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION

The Peninsula Italian American Social Club Scholarship Foundation (PIASCSF) formerly known as the Peninsula Social Club Foundation was founded in 1993 when Dan Monaco, a member of the Peninsula Italian American Social Club, made a suggestion to Edward Battistini, Administrator at Cipriani Elementary School in Belmont, California. His idea was to raise funds to support undergraduate studies for deserving high school seniors of Italian descent, living in the San Francisco Bay Area, who will be attending college or a university.

A scholarship committee was then established with founders Edward Battistini; Kevin Regan, a teacher at Serra High School; Dan Monaco, Vice Principal in the Redwood City School District; John Najac; and supporting members Rudy Bertolozzi, Tina and Robert Gorran. Shortly thereafter, Policy and Procedures were created, organizing the first Peninsula Italian American Scholarship Committee as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation raising funds for student scholarships.

The founders of the scholarship committee had a vision that the scholarship recipients would eventually become members of the Peninsula Italian American Social Club and as members they would continue to honor and respect their Italian heritage.

In the first year of existence, from various fund-raising events, the scholarship committee raised $2,000.00 to provide four individuals with a $500.00 scholarship. In 2023, the scholarship committee raised and awarded $74,000.00 to 24 deserving scholarship recipients.

The mission of the PIASCSF is to award College/University Scholarships to deserving high school seniors of Italian descent, living in the San Francisco Bay Area, who will be attending a college or a university, who have excelled in academics, demonstrated service to their community and school and are proud of their Italian heritage. In addition, the PIASCSF will award Union Trade/Vocational School Scholarships to those qualified apprentices of Italian descent, who are enrolled in or plan to attend a trade or vocational school.
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