Stephanie, Betty and Catherine Parente in 2008 at Tri-Town Auxiliary of United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County’s Sugar & Spice luncheon Students from Loyola University Maryland who created an annual scholarship at the university in memory of Stephanie Parente are proud to announce that they have raised more than $30,000 in gifts toward their goal of $50,000.

April 19th marked two years since William Parente of Garden City killed his wife Betty and daughters Stephanie and Catherine in a hotel room in Towson, Maryland. He took his own life hours later.

Marianne E. Quinn of Garden City was one of Betty’s best friends and has kept in touch with Stephanie’s friends from Loyola. Stephanie would have graduated from Loyola in a few weeks. “On April 28th the Parente ladies will be buried two years, but their memory lives on,” Quinn said. “The tree planted in front of the Garden City Public Library in their honor and memory is budding. Spring is in the air. Life is renewed.”

Seniors at Loyola created an annual scholarship at the university as the “Senior Class Gift,” in memory of Stephanie and Evan Girardi, another classmate who passed away in September, 2010. Every year, the senior class at Loyola University Maryland donates and raises money for a gift to give back to the Loyola community. It is a tradition that is meant to unite the senior class before graduation, as well as ensure that the class will leave a legacy for which to be remembered.

Their first mission was to raise money for the endowment. The school has committed to allocate 100 percent of the funds raised by the senior class at Loyola this year toward the scholarship fund. As of February 1, the scholarship fund became endowed, and will be awarded annually.

Danielle Scorrano of Katonah, NY, who was Stephanie’s roommate, and her current roommates, Julieanne Malley, Stephanie Nguyen and Lauren Gallinari, were appointed chairs of the scholarship committee. “The success of the scholarship so far is a testament to how special Stephanie and her family were to both the Loyola and Garden City communities,” Scorrano said.

According to Amanda Robinson, Loyola’s assistant director of annual giving, many parents and approximately one-third of the senior class have already made a gift. The Senior Class Gift Committee will be hard at work until Commencement on May 21 to increase participation.

“The response to the scholarship efforts has been incredible,” said Gallinari of Tuckahoe, NY. “The generosity of both the Loyola and Garden City communities has been overwhelming. I cannot put into words the appreciation that my roommates and I wish to share with all who helped make this scholarship possible. It means the world to not only us, but to everyone who was affected.”

Anyone who would like to donate, can visit http://www.loyola.edu/supportloyola/evergreen and choose “Senior Class Gift” from the menu on the left side. For more information, or if you prefer to make a donation through the mail, please contact: Amanda Robinson, Assistant Director of Annual Giving, at Loyola University Maryland, 4501 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210. Her phone number is (410) 617-5222 begin_ of_ the_ skype_ highlighting and her e-mail address is arrobinson@loyola.edu.