QU Announces 2022 Bishop’s Scholarship Recipient
Quincy University has announced Jack Driscoll as the 2022 Bishop’s Scholarship recipient. Driscoll will graduate this spring with honors from Mt. Zion High School in Mt. Zion, Ill., and will begin at QU this coming fall.
“I am thrilled for both Jack and Quincy University to award the Bishop’s Scholarship to a student who is striving every day to live authentically for Christ,” said Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. “Jack not only has a strong academic record, but his commitment to building up the Kingdom of God in our diocese is an example of his faithfulness. He has been a constant volunteer at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Parish in Mt. Zion, helping children better understand the faith in PSR classes. He has served at the table of the Lord as an altar server and as an usher, and he was his brother’s confirmation sponsor. He is also involved in building up a culture of life and helps distribute Holy Communion to those in nursing homes. I was struck by his active involvement in the Church, and with the joy, he carries out his mission as an intentional disciple.”
The university awards the $10,000 Bishop’s Scholarship to one student on the recommendation of Bishop Paprocki. To be eligible for consideration, a candidate must belong to a parish in the Diocese of Springfield and have applied to QU. Candidates must be admitted to QU, choose to enroll, and submit a statement describing their involvement in their local parish, the Diocese or the Catholic Church.
“I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend QU in the fall as the Bishop’s Scholarship recipient. I would like to thank my family, OLHS Catholic Church, Dr. McGee and Bishop Paprocki, who played integral roles in me receiving this scholarship,” said Driscoll. “I am excited to attend QU as my parents, aunts, and uncles did. For many years, I have listened to my family tell story after story of their experiences at QU. I am excited to finally be able to chime in with my own QU stories.”
While on campus, Driscoll is hopeful that he can continue to spread the message to other young Catholics that personal faith is so important as one makes decisions leading into adulthood.
“Attending QU will allow me to continue surrounding myself with a faith community that will support me as I am away from my family and OLHS parish back in Mt. Zion,” Driscoll said. “As a college athlete, I envision partnering with Fr. Arisman at St. Francis Solanis to coordinate the golf team volunteering within the school as a way to give back to the community.”
The scholarship is subject to the university’s stacking policy, which limits awarded institutional dollars to the value of tuition. It is renewable for up to eight semesters of study as long as the recipient remains enrolled full-time and maintains a 3.3-grade point average at QU.
“The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois has an enduring commitment to Catholic education in its 129 parishes and 44 schools,” said Brian McGee, Ph.D., president. “Bishop Paprocki has been a constant champion of Catholic education for his entire career. We at Quincy University are honored to collaborate with the Bishop to provide more opportunities for Catholic higher education in the Diocese.”
“We are particularly grateful to the Bishop for his careful consideration of the applicants and the materials they submit,” said McGee. “It means a great deal to QU and to the winner to know of the Bishop’s personal involvement in the selection process. Of course, we already were excited to know that the Bishop will be teaching at Quincy University in our graduate business program, beginning in Fall 2022. We deeply appreciate the Bishop’s friendship and great support of the university.”
The founding of Quincy University is the direct result of an invitation issued by the first bishop of the Diocese to the Franciscans, which led to generations of service by the Franciscans to the people of Quincy and Illinois. Established under the pastoral care and leadership of Bishop Paprocki, the Bishop’s Scholarship is one of many signs of the strong relationship between the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and Quincy University, the only Catholic university located in downstate Illinois.
Founded in 1860 by Franciscan friars, Quincy University is a small Catholic university emphasizing the sciences, liberal arts and the professions. Quincy University offers undergraduate, graduate and adult education programs integrating practical experience and Franciscan values. Faculty and advisors work with students to design customized success plans to help them graduate on time, find their passion and prepare them for life. QU is a member of NCAA Division II for intercollegiate athletics. For more information, please visit www.quincy.edu or contact the Office of Community Relations at (217) 228-5275 or communityrelations@quincy.edu. Quincy University. Success by Design.