First-Year Student from Dalton, Pa., Earns Major Tuition Award Through King’s College Parente Scholars Program

King’s College today announced that Michael Hiller, a first-year student enrolled for the Fall 2025 semester, will have 75% of his tuition covered through the Parente Scholars Program, which is awarded to students who demonstrate exemplary leadership, scholastic achievement, work experience, and community service.

 Hiller, currently a student at Abington Heights High School, is a member of the National Honor Society, a varsity soccer player, and volunteer coach. He is also a member of the Future Educators Club and a student teacher intern with plans to pursue the King’s College education bachelor’s program.

 The Parente Scholars Program was established by Charles E. Parente ’62 and his wife, Mary, for students from Northeastern Pennsylvania. To be considered, incoming first-year students must have above average SAT scores and GPAs, been employed part-time while in high school, demonstrated leadership and community service, and participated in extracurricular activities.

“I am incredibly grateful to the Parente family for aiding me in my pursuit of higher education and a professional career,” said Hiller. “I hope that I will one day be able to emulate the actions and character of Charles Parente.”

“Our parents came from financially humble beginnings,” said John Parente ’89, on behalf of the children of Charles & Mary Parente. “They felt strongly that those who are willing to work hard, and want an education, should have a shot at that education. They also felt that those who were successful should give back to the community.”

“Our parents were proud and honored to be able to help so many young people fulfill their dream of higher education,” he continued. “The scholarships they set up meant a great deal to them and it is wonderful to continue to see so many young people benefit from their generosity.”

Charles Parente was a lifelong Northeastern Pennsylvania resident who passed away in 2016. A graduate of St. John's High School in Pittston, Pa., Parente graduated King's College with an accounting degree and went on to found Parente Randolph Certified Public Accountants, which he grew into one of the largest privately owned accounting firms on the east coast. In 1988, he was appointed President and CEO of C-TEC Corporation in Wilkes-Barre, where he served until 1993 before pursuing various successful business ventures in broadcast television, construction, real estate, and finance over the next two decades.

Parente supported many educational, charitable, and civic entities in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In addition to serving as chair of the King’s College board of directors, he was a board member at the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School, Wyoming Valley Health Care System Inc., and the Luzerne Foundation. Parente was also the former general campaign chair of United Way of Wyoming Valley and a former advisory board member of the Salvation Army.