The scholarship fund created in the honor and name of the legendary Atlantic County Sheriff Gormley, awarded $5,800 in scholarships to seven people to help them pursue higher education on Thursday.
The Sheriff Gormley Scholarship Award honors the late Gerard Gormley, who served as Atlantic County Sheriff for more than 20 years starting in the 1940s. It was created by Atlantic County Sheriff Eric Scheffler and The Atlantic County Sheriff’s Foundation to not only honor Gormley’s service, but to annually help officers and civilians who work in the sheriff’s office – and their families – with scholarships to pursue higher education.
“To be able to continue to assist those who work in my office, as well as their families, in the pursuit of higher education is something I am very proud of. It’s an honor and a privilege to continue this scholarship in the history of the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office and to name it after Sheriff Gormley.”
The scholarships were awarded in the lobby of the Atlantic County Courts Complex in Mays Landing on Sept. 9. The awards were given by former State Senator William Gormley and Atlantic County Sheriff’s Foundation Chairman and Retired Atlantic City Police Department Deputy Chief William Mazur. Assemblymen Vincent Mazzeo and John Armato provided framed citations to all the scholarship recipients.
Senator William Gormley, son of Sheriff Gerald Gormley spoke at the ceremony, noting how his family teamed up with the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Foundation and the Sheriff’s office to create a scholarship program he knows his father would be proud of.
One member of the sheriff’s office, Officer Jillian Gallagher, of Hammonton, will be using the scholarship to pursue her dual degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology. The other six scholarships were awarded to children of officers and civilians who work in the sheriff’s office, including Abigail DeLeon, of Mays Landing, Reganne Engstler, of Egg Harbor Township, Benjamin Cericola, of Egg Harbor Township, Huy Nguyen, of Egg Harbor Township, Edward Jamack Jr., of Mays Landing, and Jordan Komar, of Egg Harbor Township.
