Club Paesano Italian American Scholarship

The Club Paesano established in Portland, Oregon in 1955, is one of the largest Italian American organizations in the Pacific Northwest.  The mission of the club is to provide an engaging social network for the Italian American community in the Portland area through participation and volunteer opportunities.  Over the past 70 years, Club Paesano has promoted the Italian American experience through celebrated shared traditions and events. 

It is with great pleasure that Club Paesano will be implementing its first Italian American Scholarship Program.  The scholarship has been established to award high school students who demonstrate a desire to learn and to emulate Italian American attributes such as diligence and determination.

Scholarship Awards

The scholarship will be awarded to qualified applicants on a one-time basis. The number of scholarships will be determined. Each scholarship awarded will be in the amount of $1000.  The Club Paesano selection committee will review each applicant’s transcripts, community service, resume and essay submission when making its determination.  Each applicant will be scored from a 1-5 rating scale on:  leadership, academic performance, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation and essay. 

Eligibility:

In order to be eligible for consideration of the Club Paesano scholarship, an applicant must meet the mentioned criteria as well as submit the following:

  • Be an incoming college freshman who resides in the Greater Portland Metropolitan area or Southwest Washington;
  • Be accepted to an accredited institution of higher learning (including universities, colleges, community colleges and trade schools);
  • A United States citizen or permanent resident alien;
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 out of a 4.0 scale; An official transcript must be submitted;
  • Complete and submit application and forms by the applicable deadline;
  • Be of Italian American descent with at least one ancestor that can be certified to have emigrated from Italy.
  • Submit two letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, a professor, employers or service coordinators.
  • Submit a current resume outlining extracurricular activities, work experience and volunteer services.
  • Submit an essay which must not exceed 750 words

How to Apply

If you are an eligible individual and are interested in applying, please complete the application found on the Club Paesano website.  Return your completed scholarship no later than March 31, 2025.  The recipients will be notified by April 30,2025.  The scholarship will be awarded on June 4, 2025 at Club Paesano/Cedarville Park at the Polenta dinner.  The decisions of the Club Paesano Scholarship Committee are final.  This is a one-time award and must be collected for the 2025 fall semester. 

Please download the application and complete (and scan completed form, if necessary).  Submit via PDF through email to: [email protected]

Deadline for submission and required documents is March 31, 2025.  Please email your application to:  [email protected]

Letters of recommendation and transcripts should be submitted in PDF to:

Club Paesano

Attn:  Rick Cervi

Email:  [email protected]

Club Paesano Italian American Scholarship

Application Checklist:

📝 Required Documents (Save and submit as PDF)
☑️ Completed and Signed Application
☑️ Essay
☑️ Resume

📌 Follow-up to ensure the following have been submitted:
📜 Official transcripts from high school or college
💌 Two recommendations from teachers, employers, or service coordinators (provide the submission address to the recommenders)

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025

⬇️DOWNLOAD APPLICATION PACKET

Important Instructions for Completing and Submitting the PDF Form

📌 Step 1: Open the Form
Click the link to open the fillable PDF. The form may open in your web browser or prompt you to download it directly.

📌 Step 2: Save the PDF to Your Computer First

  • Google Chrome & Edge: Click the download icon (📥) in the top-right corner and save it to your computer.
  • Firefox: Click the download arrow (⬇️) in the top-right, then choose “Save File” when prompted.
  • Safari: The form may open as a preview. Click File > Export as PDF to save it.

📌 Step 3: Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader

📌 Step 4: Fill Out the Form & Save Changes

  • Do not complete the form directly in your browser—it may not save your entries!
  • After filling out all fields, click File > Save As, then save it again with your name (e.g., JohnDoe_Application.pdf).

📌 Step 5: Email the Completed Form AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS to Rick

  • Attach the saved PDF to an email.
  • Send it to: 📧 [email protected]
  • Subject Line: [Your Name] – Completed CPIAS Application

🛑 Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Filling out the form in a browser without saving it separately—your answers may be lost!
❌ Forgetting to check if your changes were saved before sending.

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025