Together Through It All

Nicholas and Miranda Criscitelli have a lot in common – same age (24), same hometown (Enfield), same high school (Enrico Fermi), same impressive record of academic/athletic/extracurricular activities, and the same high-energy work ethic.

And one more thing: In 2004, they were the only students from Enrico Fermi to be awarded college scholarships by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Both praise their supportive families, but “neither of our families were able to help us financially pay for college,” said Miranda. “If we didn’t get scholarships, we weren’t going to be able to go to college, at least not right away.”

“A list of scholarships in the guidance office was updated once a week and we’d go down there to see if there was anything new we could apply for,” said Nick.

“We both applied to the Hartford Foundation and we were lucky enough to get interviews on the same day,” said Miranda. “A month or two later we learned we had both received a scholarship so we were able to go to the colleges of our choice.”
 
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Nick graduated from Westfield State College in Massachusetts in 2008 and works in the law and compliance division for the MassMutual Financial Group in Springfield.

Miranda graduated the same year from Bay Path College, also in Massachusetts, and is an elementary school teacher in Holyoke.

Nick and Miranda, who still live in Enfield, were dating at the time they were awarded the scholarships and like to joke that the scholarships helped cement their relationship.

With the aid of the scholarships –and the two full-time jobs they worked – they were able to graduate debt-free.

Now they’re showing appreciation for the help they received.

“We want to give back and right now this is how we are able to do that,” said Nick.

He serves on the Scholarship Interview Committee at the Hartford Foundation and both appeared on a panel exploring the college experience during the seventh annual Scholarship Recipient Reception held June 9 at Saint Joseph College in West Hartford for the 2011-12 winners.

“At this point in our lives we certainly are not able to provide our own scholarship fund or contribute to the Hartford Foundation endowment, but we want to do what we can,” said Miranda.

Serving on the panel at the reception for new scholarship recipients was “one way that we could give back,” said Nick. “I think for those entering college to hear the challenges of going to college, and all that it entails, from someone who is not so far removed from it, is definitely a big help.”

When interviewing prospective scholarship recipients, Nick not only examines grades and financial need but looks for a student “who understands what he or she wants in life and is going to benefit from college.”

Any advice for new college students?

From Miranda:

“We both set really high goals for ourselves in college and in high school. Even if we were not able to achieve them, at least they were there. What’s the worst thing that can happen? You don’t meet the goal and you make a new goal for yourself. If you don’t set high enough goals, you’ll never know what you can do.”

From Nick:

“Take full advantage of all that’s offered. Someone at the last scholarship reception said college is the only time in your life when everyone is focused on you. It’s your experience. You’re paying for it either by funds you earned or funds you have been given from an organization like the Hartford Foundation. Don’t let the experience go to waste.”