Frank Lipani Memorial Scholarship

Frank came to the U.S. with his parents from Sicily at 11 years old and entered public school in Brooklyn. He knew no English so he was put back one year. Although he struggled with school due to the language barrier, he persevered to become successful. His self motivation and determination enabled him to earn his degree in Finance. After college, he got a job in Finance on Wall Street where he stayed his whole career, eventually rising to Managing Director Senior Vice President.

 

Frank brought the same dedication to his family that he brought to his work. He was generous with his kids to a fault, encouraging them tirelessly to work hard, study and reach their potential. He loved playing with his grandkids, working around the house, gardening and his dog. He loved sports, in particular the Mets and the Jets. He was thrilled to buy his “dream house” in Cold Spring Harbor. He enjoyed spending time with his family at home and on vacation.

 

Some of Frank’s proudest moments were his children’s graduations. He was very pleased with St. Mary’s as a parent of Michael ‘09. He recognized that Mike had had wonderful teachers who gave him an excellent education, comprising as it did a strong Catholic formation, as well as a solid grounding in the liberal arts.

 

He was also proud of his wife, Linda, as a language teacher especially since she had the opportunity to teach Italian in addition to Spanish and then as Language Department Chair at St. Mary’s. He knew the importance of language learning as well as its challenges.

 

Because Frank valued the importance of education and thought so highly of St. Mary’s in terms of the wonderful education his son received here and because of the fulfilling career opportunities his wife enjoyed here, it is clear that he would be very proud to support the school. He would be honored for a deserving student to receive financial assistance in his name.