Susannah North is a sophomore at the College of Charleston studying psychology. She loves swimming and coaches for her community swim team, while also working at Rita’s in the summer. She is passionate about mental health and helping others and is working towards being a licensed therapist. She plans to attend graduate school after completing her bachelor’s to further her education and experience. 

Molly Riley is beginning her second year at the University of Pittsburgh. She is currently a psychology student with a goal of pursuing a doctoral degree in occupational therapy after graduation.  She is an active member of her school and works at the coffee shop, Saxbys, on her campus. Molly loves weightlifting and running, and loves to stay active. She hopes to seek a career in pediatric OT and one day own her own practice.

Madeline Kasunich, originally from Pittsburgh, is a rising junior at Bucknell University pursuing a degree in Finance. She is deeply grateful for the opportunities she’s had to grow both academically and personally at Bucknell. As Co-President of the Women in Business club, Vice President of Finance for Alpha Delta Pi sorority, and a Teaching assistant, Madeline values leadership as a way to support and uplift her classmates. Whether helping new students learn their way on campus or mentoring others through her leadership positions, she enjoys giving back to the community of Bucknell. With a strong interest in finance and a passion for collaboration, she looks forward to applying what she’s learned in both the classroom and campus life to her future career. Next summer, Madeline will be interning with TD securities working in the Municipal Products group in the New York City office. 

Mae Smith is a senior at Rowan University majoring in Finance with plans to pursue a career as a real estate agent after graduation. Over the summer, Mae completed real estate school to further prepare for the licensing process and gain practical industry knowledge. At Rowan, Mae stays involved through participating in several campus clubs and has consistently earned Dean’s List honors. In her free time, Mae enjoys spending time with friends and relaxing at the beach. Mae is excited to combine her academic background and passion for real estate into a successful career after college.

Nicholas Murgia is a senior at Penn State studying mechanical engineering. In addition to his studies, Nicholas is an undergraduate researcher, an engineering writing mentor, and a member of Penn State’s Italian student society. His interests include automobiles, aviation, and manufacturing. Additionally, Nicholas has a passion for his Italian heritage. After graduation, he hopes to either obtain an engineering role or pursue a graduate degree that aligns with his sectors of interest. Nic also aspires to engage with his heritage through work, study, and community initiatives.

Morgan Kostick is starting her second year at the University of Delaware. She has received Dean’s List honors both semesters of her freshman year. On campus Morgan is a member of the Alpha Phi sorority, where she participated in community service programs. Morgan is majoring in K-8 education, with a concentration in multilingual learners. 

Andrea Alonzo Vidaurre is a rising senior at Saint Joseph’s University, pursuing a double major in Food Marketing and Business Intelligence & Analytics. She is currently working as a Marketing and Merchandising Intern for Albertsons Mid-Atlantic Division, where she supports omni channel strategies, analyzes weekly AD performance across 290+ stores, and provides data-driven insights for seasonal planning. In 2023, Andrea completed a Co-Op with Aramark in Field Marketing and Food Operations, where she honored her skills in brand engagement, analytics, and understanding customer behavior.

Last October, Andrea has the opportunity to attend the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention (NFRA) in National Harbor, Maryland, where she gained valuable industry insights and built meaningful connections within the food marketing community.

As an international student from Guatemala, Andrea is especially honored to be a recipient of the MAFTO Scholarship Award. She is excited to give back to the community that has embraced her and provided so many opportunities since her arrival.

Stefano Billis is a rising senior Food Marketing Co-Op student at Saint Joseph’s University with a double major in Business Intelligence & Analytics. He is from Lititz, PA, a small town in northern Lancaster County. Stefano graduated from Warwick High School in 2022 where he was a captain of the Men’s tennis team, a member of the National Honor Society and Business Honor Society, and a member of his school’s Link Crew freshman orientation program. Currently at SJU, Stefano is the youngest Executive Vice President for the Food Marketing Association in recent history, a member of the SJU chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma which honors business students in the top 10% of their school, a member of Alpha Iota Delta and Omega Rho, two honor societies for the top performing Decision System Sciences students on campus, participates in the Dean’s Leadership Program, and is a Haub School of Business Ambassador. 

Working in food retail for 3 years, Stefano knew he had a great opportunity to take some industry experience and build on it in college. In those 3 years, Stefano worked for the Giant Company in the Front End and the Beer Garden, learning and continuing to develop valuable retail skills such as merchandising, customer service, and time management. Recently, Stefano concluded his first Co-Op experience for Dollar Tree Inc. where he participated in a 16-week rotational program. Stefano performed store manager duties, shadowed District Managers and Regional Directors, and traveled to Chesapeake, Virginia, to shadow numerous HQ positions and learn about distribution methods from the corporate Distribution Center. His proudest achievement was his development of a tablet and distribution and adoption program that is being implemented in parts of the company in New Jersey. Currently, Stefano is the first SJU Co-Op at Circana performing data analytics for the company. 

Stefano describes himself as a very passionate student who is always eager to learn, which is demonstrated by his 3.98 GPA and his long list of activities and accomplishments at Saint Joseph’s University. He is very excited to see what the future holds and especially where his career takes him after graduation!

Thank you to the following companies for their direct contribution to the MAFTO scholarship program:

Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services

If you would like to add you/your companies name to this list, please click here.

Please contact Scholarship Chair JJ Brennan on how you can participate directly with the Scholarship Program. 

610-869-4100