9 receive RoNetco scholarships

Nine local students have received RoNetco scholarships for the 2024-25 school year.

RoNetco awards scholarships to qualifying associates as well as the children and grandchildren of associates at its nine ShopRite supermarkets, affiliated Wines & Spirits locations, and corporate office.

The company also offers opportunities for students to learn and earn through the Summer Internship Program for college students, tuition reimbursement program, incentives for good grades, and workshops, seminars and an in-house management development program.

Scholarship winners include:

• Ryan Colarusso of Montague. He received the $5,000 Dominick V. Romano Scholarship, named in honor of RoNetco’s late president, chief executive and chairman of the board. Romano was passionate about continuing education and rewarding college students for their hard work. Ryan is the son of Danielle Colarusso, who works in the ShopRite of Sparta Order. Pickup. Deliver. department and Jeff Colarusso, music and band instructor at Wallkill Valley Regional High School. He is attending Rutgers in New Brunswick, pursuing his degree at the Mason Gross School of the Arts. His major is music performance. During the past year, some of his performance honors have been winning the Mason Gross Concerto Competition, marching in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and competing in the 2024 North American Brass Band Association Championships. He also has been on the dean’s list every semester, has a 3.96 grade point average and is a peer tutor at Rutgers.

• Jayson Morton of Stanhope. He received the $3,000 Thomas & Vincenia Romano Scholarship, named after RoNetco’s founders. He works as a pharmacy technician cashier at ShopRite of Byram, where he has been employed for four years. Morton is attending Centenary University, where he is majoring in forensic science. He was an Anti-Bullying Summit Leader in 2022 and a Sussex County Caring Award winner in 2023. He was on the dean’s list during fall 2023. He is a certified “Stop the Bleed” instructor and an emergency medical technician.

• Tucker Austin of Sparta. He is studying journalism with a concentration in sports journalism at Fordham College at Rose Hill in the Bronx. Tucker also is a staff member at Fordham’s student-operated radio station 90.7, where he has also worked in production for the station. He was on the dean’s list in 2022-23. Tucker is the son of Julianne Austin, who has worked as an administrative professional at RoNetco’s corporate office for 17 years. He was awarded a $1,500 scholarship from RoNetco.

• Hannah Doyle of Branchville. She attends Monmouth University in West Long Branch, where she is in the Early Childhood, Elementary & Special Education program. She is entering her junior year. She is a member of the Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society and Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society. She also is president of Monmouth University’s club volleyball team and a sister of the Iota Nu Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta. Doyle recently completed her term as the Panhellenic Council’s director of women’s advocacy. She provides day care at home and works at the Playa Bowls in her college town. Hannah is the daughter of Devon Doyle, who has worked for RoNetco for 27 years. Devon currently works at ShopRite of Newton in the produce department. Hannah was awarded a $1,500 scholarship from RoNetco.

• Jacen Nisbet of Stanhope. He attends Rutgers New Brunswick, where he is studying astrophysics and mathematics. He is an Honors Program Peer Mentor who serves on the program’s Student Advisory Board, a member of the Association of Philippine Students, an Astronomy Society member and a Society of Physics student mentor. Nisbet is in the School of Arts & Sciences Honors Program, a member of the Aresty Research Assistant Program and a Resident Assistant. He also received an SAS Excellence Award and a School of Arts & Science Scholarship and is a member of the NASA New Jersey Space Grant Consortium. He has worked in the appetizing department at ShopRite of Byram since June 2023 and received a $1,500 scholarship from RoNetco.

• Ashley Roccisano of Franklin. She attends the University of Delaware, with a major in kinesiology. Her goal is to be accepted into the Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program. She is a member of the Physical Therapy Interest Club and plays club softball on a 23U team. She plans to become a member of Phi Epsilon Kappa and the Exercise Science Club in the fall. Roccisano has worked in the Order. Pickup. Deliver. department at ShopRite of Franklin since December 2021 and received a $1,500 scholarship from RoNetco.

• Gabriela Velazquez of Branchville. She is an undergraduate student at Liberty University Online, majoring in elementary education. This past school year, she worked as a teacher’s aide at a private elementary/middle school in Newton, where she had the chance to work with students in varying grade levels and become a coach for the track team. At Liberty, she has been inducted into two honors societies. Velazquez works at ShopRite of Sparta in the Order. Pickup. Deliver. department. Her goal is to pursue her love for teaching after graduation in the winter of 2025. She received a $1,500 scholarship from RoNetco.

• Frankie Wulf of Hopatcong. He is a rising sophomore at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology and plans to graduate in 2027. Wulf is part of UMW’s Honors Program, where he was on the dean’s list in fall 2023. He has worked at ShopRite of Byram since March 2020; he currently works in the produce department. He received a $1,500 scholarship from RoNetco.

• Cooper Henderson of Budd Lake. He attends the County College of Morris, where he is studying exercise science. His activities include football, winter and spring track and class council. He was a member of the AFJROTC Drill Team, where he achieved an AFJROTC Purple Heart and was a Top AS100 Cadet. Henderson has worked in the ShopRite of Byram produce department since July 2023 and received a $1,500 scholarship from RoNetco.