The owner of the new Holiday Inn-Downtown in Williamsport is honoring his late father by establishing a scholarship fund that will assist Pennsylvania College of Technology students who might otherwise be unable to stay in college due to serious financial challenges.
George J. Tsunis recently finalized the agreement with the Penn College Foundation to establish the James George Tsunis Scholarship at Penn College.
The fund, when fully endowed, will make awards that can be used by the recipients to defray the costs of tuition, fees, books, tools, required instructional supplies and any other eligible education expenses.
Students enrolled either full time or part time at Penn College are eligible to apply for awards from the James George Tsunis Scholarship if they have a documented emergency or dire financial need that may prevent them from continuing their education. Following the initial award, preference may be given to students who have received awards from the fund in previous years.
James George Tsunis founded his family-run business in 1961, focusing on hotels and restaurants, real estate, and banking interests. He received many awards for his civic and church activities, including the Ellis Island Medal of Freedom in 1997.
"I am excited about this new scholarship at Penn College to honor my father," George Tsunis said.
Tsunis said his father, who died in 2001, summed up his commitment to charitable giving and to the importance of education through two favorite quotes: "When you receive, your hands are full; when you give, your heart is full," and "You owe your life to your mother; you owe the fact that you have an enlightened life to your teachers."
"We are most grateful for the support from George Tsunis," said Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour. "This will be an especially important resource for students who are facing significant financial challenges that might otherwise prevent them from completing their studies."
For more information about establishing scholarships through the Penn College Foundation, call (570) 320-8020, toll-free (866) GIVE-2-PC; send e-mail or visit online .