Scholarship Established in Memory of Former Student

The family of a former Pennsylvania College of Technology student who died in a traffic accident in 2005 has established a scholarship fund at the college in his memory.

The Penn College Foundation has received a donation to establish an endowment for the Joshua R. Geary Memorial Scholarship. The endowment is expected to produce $2,000 in annual awards.

Geary, son of Kathy and Stephen Waltz and the late Robert Warren Geary, was a Williamsport Area High School graduate who attended Penn College in 1996-97, majoring in general studies with a focus on business courses. He later transferred to The Pennsylvania State University and graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in finance and a minor in economics.

Before attending Penn College, Geary served in the U.S. Air Force, receiving several commendations and awards during his enlistment. Geary was a strong student, achieving Dean's List honors while at Penn College and membership in several honor societies while at Penn State.

Following graduation from Penn State, Geary was employed by First Pioneer Farm Credit in Bridgeton, N.J., where he received recognition for "Most Lease Fees" and "Best Customer Service."

Geary was killed in an automobile accident in New Jersey in June 2005 at the age of 31.

Geary's mother said that, while her son did not graduate from Penn College, he was fond of his time there and felt it prepared him well for his future academic pursuits.

"Education was a high priority for Joshua," Kathy Waltz said. "His family was always proud of his academic achievements and feels a scholarship in his memory is a fitting legacy. I know Joshua would be pleased to know he was helping other students receive a high-quality education."

Geary is survived by two sisters: Amanda Waltz, of Pittsburgh, and Samantha Carey, of Montoursville. Carey is a graduate of Penn College's nursing program and is a part-time faculty member at the college.

The Joshua R. Geary Memorial Scholarship will give first preference to full-time students who are graduates of the Williamsport Area School District and who are enrolled in the second year or later of studies in Penn College's business administration: banking and finance concentration bachelor-degree major.

If no students can be identified who meet the first preferences, secondary preference will be given to graduates of any Lycoming County high school who are full-time students entering the second year of any major in Penn College's School of Business and Computer Technologies.

Any successful applicant for the Joshua R. Geary Memorial Scholarship must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, and preference will be given to students who have received awards from the fund in previous years.

Penn College is a special mission affiliate of Penn State, committed to applied technology education. With more than 6,500 students, Penn College has the second-largest enrollment in the Penn State system.

For more information about Penn College, visit online , e-mail or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

For information about establishing scholarships or other ways of supporting Penn College students, call the Institutional Advancement Office at 570-320-8000, or toll free, 866-GIVE-2-PC; e-mail ; or visit on the Web .