Students interested in a career in the paralegal industry will now have another option for financing their education and accomplishing that goal. An attorney in Hunterdon County, New Jersey has established the Patricia Critelli Scholarship Fund specifically for students at Raritan Valley Community College who have plans to pursue either a Paralegal Studies Certificate or an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Paralegal Studies.
This is the first year that the scholarship will be made available and applications for it will be submitted through the college’s Foundation.
The scholarship of just over $4,000 will be allocated on an annual basis. It was established and named in honor of career paralegal professional Patricia Critelli who spent nearly 30 years in the industry and became an example of the ideal paralegal to many attorneys in Hunterdon County.
Attorney David Bunevich, who worked with Critelli for much of her career and established the scholarship in her name, says that he wanted to set up the award to recognize Critelli’s substantial contribution to the paralegal profession in general, and to Bunevich’s law practice in particular. He says he also wanted to contribute to the legal community in Hunterdon County by encouraging and helping individuals who want to pursue what he calls a profession that is “essential to our success.”
In order to be eligible for the award, applicants are required to be a Hunterdon County resident and to have a minimum of two years of experience in the paralegal profession. Additionally, applicants are required to demonstrate strong academic worthiness, sufficient financial need, or both, and be committed to the pursuit of a career in law.
Once awarded the scholarship, students must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as a student at RVCC.
