OceanFirst Foundation has established the Joe Burke Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Christian Brothers Academy. Burke was a 1965 graduate of the private, Catholic, academic preparatory school for boys located in Lincroft.
With a donation of $50,000, OceanFirst begins a four-year endowed scholarship for future CBA students in memory of Burke, who was a longtime, well-respected member of the OceanFirst board of directors. This endowed scholarship will span the life of the school, serving a countless number of Academy men.
With Burke’s wife, Jeanne, and his three children present, CBA held a small signing ceremony in early Noveember to officially begin the scholarship. OceanFirst Bank’s chairman and CEO, Christopher Maher , and the foundation’s executive director, Katherine Durante, represented OceanFirst at the signing ceremony.
“At OceanFirst, we were fortunate to have Joe Burke, Christian Brothers Academy Class of 1965, as a valued member of our board of directors,” Maher said. “Joe left a lasting impact on our organization and often spoke of the principles and values he received during his education at the academy. We consider it a privilege that Jeanne Burke and her children have allowed us to honor Joe’s memory with the Joe Burke Memorial Endowed Scholarship for the benefit of academy men.”
As part of the Scholarship Initiative started in 2013, Christian Brothers Academy now has nearly 75 different scholarships in place. Several of these scholarships allow for multiple awardees at a time.
Since its founding in 1902, OceanFirst Bank has built a solid reputation and legacy as a good neighbor and responsible corporate citizen. The Bank’s strong commitment to helping families, organizations, schools and communities throughout central and southern New Jersey meet their financial needs has spanned several generations reaching new heights in 1996 with the creation of OceanFirst Foundation.
Made possible by a one-time endowment of $13.4 million approved by OceanFirst Bank depositors, OceanFirst Foundation provides grants to organizations that meet community needs within the OceanFirst Bank footprint. Through the foundation, hundreds of local charities and schools have received more than $35 million in grants to enrich lives in areas such as Housing, Youth Development and Education, Improving the Quality of Life, Health and Wellness, and the Arts.