Caffarelli Scholarship

About the Scholarship

Rocco C. Caffarelli established this scholarship in order to provide educational opportunities for young men residing in Texas who plan to attend a Texas college and earn a bachelor’s degree.

Mr. Caffarelli and his family immigrated to the United States from Italy. He and his brothers began their lives in the United States by playing their violins at weddings. Later, he owned a grocery store, then opened a wholesale grocery business that served stores all over South Texas. He passed away in 1951.

Mr. Caffarelli had no formal schooling, but he loved to read, sometimes even leaving the dinner table to look up a word in the dictionary. He lived a simple life, never marrying or driving a car. He valued education above all else. His philosophy was, “You can’t do everything, so do one thing well.” He loved Texas and wanted to give something back to the state that had been so good to him and his family. Even though he did not live to see any of his scholarship winners attend school, this generous man has made it possible for over 1,600 young men to achieve their academic dreams.

The value of each scholarship is based on financial need, not to exceed $6,000 per academic year, for a maximum of four years, subject to renewal qualifications. You are eligible for this scholarship if you plan to attend a not-for-profit Texas college with the goal of earning a bachelor’s degree (not a vocational certificate).