SJC STUDENT RECEIVES MICHAEL P. MURPHY SCHOLARSHIP

November 15, 2021

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – November 15, 2021 – St. Joseph’s College (SJC) is pleased to announce that Senior Airman and SJC student veteran Crystal Bombaci was selected as the recipient of the inaugural U.S. Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy Scholarship, named after the Patchogue native who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005.

Bombaci received the award from Michael’s father, Daniel Murphy, who also founded the award, during a Veterans Day ceremony at SJC.

“Michael’s favorite saying was, ‘Education will set you free,'” said Murphy. “It was really important to him because he believed education removes preconceived notions, prejudice and judging people by their looks. It was really important for us to remember that, and that’s kind of where the scholarship foundation started.”

Bombaci serves in the Security Forces Squadron with the 106th Rescue Wing Air National Guard Base. She is a resident of Shirley and a sophomore at SJC Long Island pursuing a bachelor’s degree in speech. She received $2,500 for the 2021-22 academic year.

“This scholarship is an honor to Lt. Murphy,” St. Joseph’s President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., said. “If you’re in a position of leadership, your job is of course to follow orders. But sometimes you have to go beyond that. And certainly, Lt. Murphy went far beyond that.”

For more information, visit sjcny.edu.

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through SJC Brooklyn, SJC Long Island and SJC Online, the College offers degrees in 50 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.