Scholarship in Memory of Marie and Mariano Muyot

NEWBURGH – On August 23rd, Anthony and Juliana LoBiondo, owners of LoBiondo Law, presented a Scholarship Check in the amount of $750.00 to Orange County Community College (OCCC) freshman Onyl Espinosa. Ms. Espinosa graduated NFA Class of 2024, and was one of dozens of students at NFA who applied for the Marie and Mariano Muyot Memorial Scholarship. The Guidance Department at NFA administers the scholarship and chooses the recipient, said Juliana Muyot LoBiondo, an attorney and daughter of the late Mariano and Marie Muyot. This is their 7th year providing the Scholarship.

“Ms. Espinosa told us that she plans to study Criminal Justice at OCCC, and that the scholarship will be a big help, as it will cover the cost of all of her books for the year,” said LoBiondo.

The Marie and Mariano Muyot Scholarship is awarded to an NFA student each year, who will be attending community college the following fall. Mariano Muyot had been attending college in the Philippines when he answered the call to join the U.S. Navy at Subic Bay in Manila. He went on to serve in the Navy for seven years, ship side, said LoBiondo. He was still in the Navy when he married his wife, Marie Muyot, and when his two children were born. Mariano became a US citizen by serving in Vietnam, specifically the Gulf of Tonkin. He moved to the United States and began working for IBM.

“To finish up his college degree, IBM sent my Dad to Dutchess County Community College, where he received his Associate degree in 1971,” said LoBiondo. “In addition, my mother attended SUNY Albany Teachers college, and was a public school teacher for over 30 years and was a big proponent of the SUNY college system. The Muyot Scholarships is unique because it is presented to a student who intends to pursue community college. Although community college tuition is now free for students who qualify economically, books are very expensive. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist with the cost of books and other expenses.”

“We are proud of Onyl, and wish her all the best,” said Anthony LoBiondo. “She was an outstanding student at NFA and will surely go on to great things at Orange County Community College and as she pursues Criminal Justice studies.”