Graduating High School Seniors Honored by Oswego Rotary Club

OSWEGO — The Oswego Rotary Club continues its long tradition of presenting scholarships to four outstanding 2025 graduates of the Oswego City School District. The action marked the 98^th anniversary of the club’s founding and continued its collaboration with the Richard S. Shineman Foundation and Pathfinder Bank, whose financial contributions help support the awards. According to a club spokesperson, “The distinguished seniors we honor this year have not only excelled academically but have served their community generously.”

The Richard S. Shineman Oswego Rotary Scholarship honors the memory of Richard Shineman, long-time member of Oswego Rotary Club and advocate for the philanthropic work of Rotary around the world. Regionally, his namesake foundation now serves to improve the quality of life in Oswego County and Central New York by providing financial assistance to not-for-profit organizations, having made over $12 million in grants during its first decade of operation.

The Shineman Scholarship was awarded to Hailey Barbera, daughter of Michael and Lisa Barbera. Her school activities included ski club, working out and eating healthy, and remaining on the high honor roll throughout high school. Her community volunteer contributions included Oswego County community service hours, New Vision shadowing, Halloween Fall Festival, and dinners and breakfasts at Elim Grace Church. She was employed and served as assistant manager at Colosse Cheese and Ice Cream Store through her high school summers. She also worked at Raby’s Ace Hardware Store.

Barbera will enroll at Daemen University to study physical therapy, biology, and health sciences.

The Charles E. Riley Oswego Rotary Scholarship remembers the founding president (1927–1930) of the Oswego Rotary Club and former superintendent of the Oswego City School District and was presented to Margaret O’Leary, daughter of Katherine O’Leary.

O’Leary played in the All-State Orchestra, the All-County Orchestra, the Oswego County Youth Orchestra, and was a New York State School Music Association violin soloist. She competed at the varsity level in tennis, indoor track, and lacrosse and with Oswego County Academic Youth team. She served as class president and was a member of Student Council, the Interact Club, and the Spanish Club. She received many honors and awards in such areas as National Honor Society, world history, statistics, and Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology from the University of Rochester. O’Leary also contributed as a leader and participant in such community affairs as Camp Rainbow of Hope, donating baby blankets to Oswego Hospital, Trunk or Treat, and tutoring mathematics. She also worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor and as a research assistant for a college professor.

O’Leary will attend Wellesley College to study mathematics.

Gavin Ruggio, son of Robert and Jennifer Ruggio received the Ralph & Dorothy Faust Oswego Rotary Scholarship. Faust served as president of the Oswego Rotary Club (1934–1935) and was formerly principal of Oswego High School. During his tenure he invited refugee children from Safe Haven to study at the high school.

Ruggio was a member of the Ski Club and played junior varsity lacrosse and varsity golf and hockey. He received numerous awards for his athletic endeavors including first team all-league varsity golf, Oswego Athlete of the Week and Year, Section III 2023 Sectional Champion, and USA hockey back-to-back state championships. He also earned designation on the high honor roll. Ruggio was employed in the community at Oswego Country Club and GJP Pizza. He was also a hockey referee for four years, Buc Boosters for five years, and a volunteer for United Way.

Ruggio will attend St. John Fisher University to study business and finance.

The Anthony J. Murabito Oswego Rotary Scholarship is given in memory of the former principal of Oswego High School, an active member of the Oswego Rotary Club for more than 51 years, club president (1967 – 1968), and a leader and advocate for the Rotary scholarship program. The award is given to Alexis Galvin, daughter of Edward and Mary Anne Galvin.

Galvin was a member of the National Honor Society and included among the Top 25 for three years and on the highest honor roll for four years. She volunteered at the dance studio where she attended and helped younger students with dance and tumbling. She also worked at her family’s Port City Chiropractic PC office at the front desk and cleaning rooms. Galvin has been recognized by Nazareth University with the awarding of a presidential scholarship and a visual and performing arts scholarship.

Galvin will attend Nazareth University to pursue dance studies and psychology.

The Ruth N. Mulford Career and Technical Education Award honors the memory of Ruth Mulford, the first woman to join the Oswego Rotary Club and the member who first proposed an award for career and technical education students who were prepared for gainful employment after high school. Mulford was on the professional staff of the Center for Instruction Technology and Innovation (CITI), then Oswego County Board of Cooperative Educational Services. The award is given to affirm Rotary’s appreciation of the dignity of all useful work and respect for the people engaged in all productive occupations. Selection is based upon the applicant’s demonstrated skill in the chosen field and demonstrated leadership ability.

This year’s award was made to Lilly Allison who completed the New Vision Specialized Careers Field of Human Resource Management. She is the daughter of Odis and Meghan Allison. During her high school years Allison participated in Youth Bureau, National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Interact Club, and WBUC TV Live Club. She interned as an elementary school nursery attendant as part of her New Vision experience. Allison’s contributions in the community have included Stuff A Bus for four years, Oswego Youth Soccer Association for three years, Oswego Minor Hockey Association for four years, and one year at Faith United Church.

Allison plans to attend Nazareth University to earn a bachelor’s degree in business leadership. She intends to pattern her own career in business after the models she has seen in local businesswomen — owners and managers.

The members of the Oswego Rotary Club, from its founding in 1927, showed interest in young people by raising money for clothes for orphans. In 1933 it began loaning money to students who could not otherwise afford to attend college. As money was repaid it was loaned out again until the last loan was repaid in 1960. Since that year scholarship grants have been given each year.

The club raises money for scholarships through members’ dues and contributions, occasional memorial gifts, and fundraising projects. The club, with financial support from Pathfinder Bank and the Shineman Foundation, hosts the annual Top 100 Ceremony to honor the accomplishments of the 25 top academic students in each of the four classes at Oswego High School. The club has established an endowment fund to help underwrite the scholarship program in the future. Gifts and bequests to the Oswego Rotary Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, will be held in perpetuity, with only the earnings used for awards.

Members of the Scholarship Committee this year are Selma Sheridan, Sabine Ingerson, Terrence Gorman, and Vernon Tryon.

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