A Scholarship in Memory of #25

Central Penn College has announced it will award an annual scholarship to a student or students who are Harrisburg residents and a) major in Entrepreneurship & Small Business Administration, or b) demonstrate a record of volunteering in the city of Harrisburg for the betterment of that community.

Members of the public are welcome to contribute to this permanent scholarship fund, which Central Penn College pledges to replenish annually. The size and number of available scholarships will be determined at a future date, but at minimum one scholarship valued at $1,000 per year per student for the duration of their undergraduate study at Central Penn College will be awarded.

For each contribution, 100 percent of net proceeds (after credit card processing fees) will be used to fund this scholarship annually.

Angel Mercado-Ocasio was a beloved Central Penn College student who was known campus-wide as a hard worker both in the classroom and on the baseball field. Tragically, he lost his life on May 23, 2023 at the age of 19 after he succumbed to injuries suffered while volunteering for a summer baseball league on a public field in the city of Harrisburg. The tragic nature of his sudden passing sparked an outpouring of sadness and support that spread across the nation, and even into Mexico, Canada and the UK. Angel’s coaches and teammates have described him as quiet, kind, talented and small in stature, but larger than life in his passion to succeed, to share his love of baseball, and to support his teammates and family.

Angel was majoring in Entrepreneurship and Small Business at Central Penn, and was a graduate of Harrisburg High School. He is survived by his parents, his grandparents, a sister and a brother. He was buried in his black and orange Central Penn College baseball uniform. The campus community has planned many ways to carry on Angel’s memory and honor their “Angel in the Outfield.”

About Central Penn College

Central Penn College is a small private college in central Pennsylvania offering nine bachelor of science degree programs, seven associate in science degree programs, three associate in applied science degree programs, a master of professional studies degree program and a post secondary certificate program.

Since 1881, Central Penn has been a leader in delivering career-focused education to students in Pennsylvania and beyond. With an average student to teacher ratio of 12 to 1, students are family to us and will never feel like “just a number” at our institution.

Central Penn’s career-relevant programs are taught by supportive faculty with real-world experience. Accelerated 11-week terms and a year-round schedule enable students to complete a bachelor’s degree in three years, if they go full-time during each term. Students enjoy small class sizes, hands-on learning and a variety of convenient course formats, including day, evening, in-person, online and hybrid classes.

The Angel Mercado-Ocasio Memorial Scholarship Fund

Academic scholarship fund for students who "give back" to Harrisburg and the region