Donna Dinardo ’76
The Rose and Pietro DiNardo Scholarship
Over a century ago, Pietro DiNardo emigrated to this country from Italy, met and married his beloved Rose, and together they began a lifelong love story with Jersey City, for themselves, their 20 children, and their myriad grandchildren who followed. Donna Di Nardo ’76 described how her grandfather was a produce peddler, with a horse and wagon, and later a wholesale banana distributor, “The Banana King”. Rose was a grandma to the neighborhood, always sharing what little she had with anyone she saw in need. Their generations of offspring went on to become integral weavers of the tapestry of Jersey City life, serving in the realms of politics, community outreach, education, law—directly giving back to their hometown. At least 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren are alumni of St. Peter's College, as it was named at the time.
Inspired by others who had endowed a scholarship in their family’s name, Donna established an endowed scholarship to honor her grandparents. As Donna explained, “My family's story is one example of the American Dream come true. My hope is that the Rose and Pietro DiNardo Scholarship will make it possible for other students’ American Dreams to become a reality.”