On Tuesday, June 18th, the HIA-LI and members of the HIA-LI’s Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs (H.Y.P.E.) Committee welcomed Long Island business professionals, students, and invited guests to recognize this year’s scholarship recipients and hear from an impressive panel of successful young business leaders at HIA-LI’s Annual Young Professionals Executive Breakfast titled “Make It…Master It…Make a Difference!” The event kicked off with the presentation of HIA-LI Scholarship Awards. Offering words of encouragement to the students and their parents, Joe Campolo, HIA-LI Board Chairman and Managing Partner, Campolo, Middleton & McCormick LLP and event sponsor Gregg Pajak, Founder & Managing Partner, WizdomOne Group of Companies addressed the crowd. The HIA-LI was proud to award each student with a $1,000 scholarship. The awards are made possible through the generosity of all HIA-LI member companies, large and small, who have contributed with individual donations. Additional funds are raised throughout the year with raffle sales and 50/50 fundraising efforts at various HIA-LI events. A special thank you goes out to companies who donated $1,000 or more to this year’s Scholarship Fund and those include: AVZ & Company, P.C., Estee Lauder Companies, People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union, and Superior Washer and Gasket.

Close to thirty students applied for the distinction of being named a HIA-LI Scholarship Recipient. Criteria states that each applicant must have a parent or guardian employed by a HIALI member company and be accepted and planning to attend a college or trade school on Long Island in the Fall of 2019. In addition to submitting a high school transcript, students were also required to compose a submission essay. This year’s easy topic proposed the question “How Will My Career Choice Make an Impact on Long Island?” A selection committee comprised of HIA-LI Board Members were tasked with reviewing the applications and selecting the recipients. Thank you to judges and HIA-LI Board Members Karen Frank, Omnicon Group, Bob Desmond, Aireco Real Estate Company, Scott Maskin, SUNation Solar Systems, and Michael Voltz, PSEG-LI for their time and commitment to the selection process.

Following the presentation of scholarship awards, a distinct panel of young professionals shared advice with the audience as it relates to their career journeys. Moderated by HIA-LI’s H.Y.P.E. Co-chair Gregg Pajak and committee member Jason Hershkowitz, Account Manager & Executive Recruiter, Choice Long Island, the panel included Joshua Cheatham, Senior Business Development Representative, People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union, Adam Holtzer, Director of Business Development, Generations Beyond, Lauren Kanter-Lawrence, Director of Communications, Campolo, Middleton & McCormick LLP, and David Whelan, Director of Development, Harvest Power.

 The students were asked to provide some questions to the panel which consisted of how to handle challenges and ways to persevere during their educational journey. A common theme throughout the event was to keep an open mind when discussing future opportunities, preparation is key to success and that Long Island can provide great opportunities in business, research and all areas of one’s career path.

Congratulations to the 2019 HIA-LI Scholarship Recipients. We wish them great success in their future endeavors!