Patrick J. Strom Memorial Scholarship

Why did you choose to create a scholarship at Saint Leo University?
We chose Saint Leo because our older son Michael graduated from Saint Leo and Patrick was attending Saint Leo when he passed. Patrick Strom was tragically lost in a car accident on June 16. 2012. Our original plan in forming Trick’s Kicks (a non-profit established in memory of Patrick “Trick” Strom) was to raise money for sneakers for needy children. Patrick had an obsession with sneakers. Saving his paychecks from his part-time job afforded him the ability to buy the hottest ‘kicks’ on the market. When Trick’s Kicks raised more money than we thought possible with only 11 members, we decided education would come next.

What would you want the recipients to know about the person for whom this scholarship is named?
We would love to keep Patrick’s memory alive.

What is your favorite Saint Leo story, tradition, or what Saint Leo meant to you?
I do have a memory of Patrick taking a “friend in need” to one of the lectures on drinking held at the school for one of his classes. Another memory I do have is when we brought Michael to an event before school actually started, a casino night—Patrick was 5 and was quite the hit at Saint Leo at a very early age—one way for Michael to meet the other students.

What do you hope recipients gain through this scholarship support?
To appreciate the education they are receiving and the success they will achieve.