About

*For students enrolled in registered nursing, respiratory care or emergency medical services associate degree programs.

Background

    Frank Lanza founded L-3 Communications in 1997, a global aerospace and defense company that has grown to $15 billion in annual revenues and employs approximately 66,000 people worldwide. With its corporate headquarters in New York City, L-3 is a leader in C3ISR systems (command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), aircraft modernization and maintenance, government services and specialized products that serve the military, homeland security, aviation and other commercial markets. L-3 customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, other U.S. government agencies, allied foreign governments and commercial customers.

    Under Frank Lanza’s leadership as chairman and CEO, L-3 became the nation’s sixth largest defense contractor – comprised of more than 73 operating units, among them METI. Now independently owned, METI is the world’s leading innovator in medical simulation technology, committed to developing learning tools that impact the education of our future doctors, nurses, first responders and military medics.

    Frank Lanza served in the U.S. Coast Guard during the Korean War. He was a member of the board of directors for the Coast Guard Foundation and received the 2003 Distinguished Corporate Leadership award from the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines' and Airmen's Club. Frank Lanza was also a member of the board of governors for the Aerospace Industries Association and the American Italian Cancer Foundation. A philanthropist, Frank Lanza and his wife supported a variety of charities through a family foundation.




Purpose

    The Frank Lanza Memorial Scholarships recognize the outstanding academic and leadership accomplishments of students who demonstrate financial need and are enrolled in regionally accredited community college programs in registered nursing, respiratory care or emergency medical services. Applicants must have completed 50% of their course work leading towards achieving an associate degree. (Certificate students are not eligible to apply).

    In honor of Frank Lanza’s visionary business leadership and generous commitment to charitable causes, Lou Oberndorf, founder, CEO and Chairman of METI and long-time friend and colleague of Frank Lanza, initiated the endowment of the Frank Lanza Memorial Scholarship, which is equally funded by Medical Education Technologies, Inc. (METI), L-3 Communications, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society.


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