The Saccomanno Foundation, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2003, was honored by the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce with a special award for the committment to education.
In 2008-2009 the Saccommano Higher Education Foundation awarded 350 college scholarships totaling $697,000 to students in Mesa County, Colorado and Carbon County, Utah. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need and are intended to assist students from low-income backgrounds in securing a college degree, vocational degree or other form of higher education.
Since its establishment 16 years ago, the Foundation has awarded 4,016 scholarships totaling more than $6.9 million.
The Saccommanno Higher Education Foundation was created by Dr. Geno Saccomanno, a well known and respected physician and cancer researcher, who passed away in 1999 after dedicating years of his life to developing a pioneering technique to assist in the early detection of lung cancer. The charge of the foundation is, "to promote the educational pursuits of students in financial need, thus enabling them to improve their lives, the lives of their families and those of their community." Students must reside in either Mesa County, Colorado or Carbon County, Utah, the native home of Dr. Saccomanno.
