Overview:
A legacy of educational philanthropy continues in Palau as Sandra S. Pierantozzi donates $25,000 to the Palau Community College Endowment Fund in honor of her late husband, Marcello V. Pierantozzi. The contribution, made on what would have been his 91st birthday, reinforces a decades-long commitment to expanding access to higher education and supporting future generations of Palauan students.
PCC Endowment Fund in Memory of MVP!
The late Marcello V. Pierantozzi (MVP) was a distinguished champion of education. Prior to his passing in 2023, he had resided in Palau for more than five decades, where he and his wife, Madam Sandra Sumang Pierantozzi, established several highly successful enterprises. Their ventures not only contributed significantly to Palau’s economic growth but also continue to flourish today, supporting numerous causes that benefit the nation and her people.
As a testament to their dedication to education and lifelong learning, the Pierantozzis founded the Pierantozzi Scholarship at Palau Community College (PCC) in 2002, offering financial assistance to eligible students at Palau’s only institution of higher education. This initiative complements the Sumang Demei Scholarship program, which Madam Pierantozzi established more than thirty years ago in honor of her father, the late Iyechaderchemai Sumang Demei, himself a strong advocate for education. The Sumang Demei Scholarship, first awarded in 1992 to a female graduate of Palau High School, has since continued to expand its reach, recognizing the top graduates from Palau’s six high schools each year.
The Pierantozzis’ enduring commitment to education is further reflected in their consistent contributions to the PCC Endowment Fund. This tradition was reaffirmed on Monday, April 13, 2026—commemorating what would have been Mr. Pierantozzi’s 91st birthday—when Madam Pierantozzi made a surprise visit to PCC and generously donated $25,000 to the Endowment Fund. The contribution was received by a truly grateful PCC President Dr. Patrick U. Tellei and witnessed by Vice President for Administration & Finance Mr. Jay Olegeriil.
In expressing the College’s deep gratitude, Dr. Tellei announced that the Pierantozzi Scholarship will be expanded, either by increasing the number of annual recipients or by raising the award amount for current beneficiaries. This enhancement will further advance the Pierantozzis’ vision of accessible higher education for PCC students.
The names of Marcello V. Pierantozzi and Sandra S. Pierantozzi are prominently inscribed on the Endowment Fund Wall of Honor in the UKALL Building at PCC’s main campus in Koror. As Top-Tier donors, their legacy continues to inspire others and strengthen Palau’s only institution of higher education, ensuring that future generations benefit from their unwavering dedication to education.
Thank you Madam Pierantozzi, and Happy 91st Birthday in Heaven, MVP!
Palau Community College is an accessible comprehensive public educational institution helping to meet the technical, academic, cultural, social, and economic needs of students and communities by promoting learning opportunities and developing personal excellence.
