Stephen Giorgianni

Recipient, the Richard Bailey Memorial Scholarship

For the first three semesters of his college career,Stephen Giorgianni, now 24, pursued an engineering degree. Then, deciding “I wanted to do something that matters,” he enrolled at UAlbany to study criminal justice. The Queensbury, N.Y., native is convinced he’s on the path to a rewarding career: In addition to completing the undergraduate component of the B.A./M.A. program, he interns at a Capital Region police department and serves as president of the Albany Criminal Justice Association (ACJA).

Recently, he received the memorial scholarship named for Richard Bailey, the 22-year-old University senior sociology major who died in 2008 after a shooting in Albany – “a tragic loss,” said Giorgianni. With the proceeds of their senior gift, Bailey’s fellow students in the Class of 2009 established the endowment; Giorgianni is “honored” to receive the award and thankful to those who made it possible.

“It will help me achieve my dreams, which I know are so similar to his,” observed Giorgianni, who, like Bailey, plans a career in police work. “I hope I can be as successful as Richard would have been. I want to make a difference in the world.”