2016 Scholarship Recipient

Anthony Ucciferri

2016 All-Star Scholarship Recipient

Tell me your age, where you’re going to school, and what you’re majoring in?

I am 19 years old. I am attending Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. My plan is to major in Finance and minor in either Marketing, Business or Management. I hope to achieve academic excellence and work in New York City after I graduate. I want to learn in depth how businesses run from a corporate standpoint. I already have an idea of how businesses operate on a smaller scale as I started my own landscaping business.

Why did you choose to go to the school you are attending?

I chose Montclair because of it’s location. It is close to New York and has the most opportunities for business for the type of business I want to focus on. My brother also attended Montclair and he now lives and works in New York, so it was nice to have him close. I also chose Montclair because it has a brand new business school. It was just far enough away from my family that it felt like I was getting a fresh start, but still close enough for me to see them when I want.

What is your favorite thing about school?

I enjoy meeting new people and making new connections. I have also enjoyed challenging myself in ways I haven’t before. I’ve tried to put myself in situations where I’m not 100% percent comfortable because I feel I can grow. I came to school where I knew zero people and it gave me a new start and it helped me grow.

How did you find out about the All-Star Scholarship?

I found out about the scholarship with the help of my case worker at New Jersey Family Care or NJFC. I was searching for any sort of scholarship that would meet my needs because I knew I needed scholarships to attend this school.

Can you talk a bit about what this scholarship means to you and your education?

It means I can go to school! Without this scholarship I don’t know what I would be doing. I’m not sure this semester would have happened. I have this scholarship and one from the NJFC. There was a delay with the one from NJFC so I wouldn’t have been able to afford school in the slightest. Getting this scholarship made me feel like it was possible to make my dreams happen…that I could work additional hours and get it done.

Tell me a little about your family.

I was 12 when I was adopted by my aunt and uncle. To be honest, my siblings really serve as my support system. They are who I go to if I need anything, they almost serve as my parents.

Do you feel that being adopted gives you a different perspective on life in general?

Being adopted no, but I believe my experiences before that and even now give me a different perspective. I think it made me more mature and gave me drive. It helped me because if I hadn’t been through what I’ve been through I don’t know if I’d have the outlook or ambition I have now.