The James and Sharon Ricciardi Family Endowed Scholarship

James “Jimmy” Ricciardi is indebted to Worcester State University for influencing his life for the better. He enjoyed his time as a student, and he has remained a familiar face on campus as a contractor who works with the Worcester State Facilities Department to keep the grounds green in the summer and snow free in the winter.

“Worcester State has been good to me, and I want to give back. My time here helped me with my career, and it really changed my life,” said Ricciardi, who is the owner of Ricciardi Bros. Inc., a general contracting business specializing in utilities and excavation work.

Ricciardi attended Worcester State for a year before he had to leave school due to financial constraints. One of his most memorable experiences as a student was rowing for WSU’s freshman four crew boat. Although getting up at 5 a.m. to practice on Lake Quinsigamond was tough, the team was very successful, traveling all the way to the national championships and competing admirably against powerhouse teams from Notre Dame, UCLA, Stanford, Colgate, and the University of Buffalo.

He also was a member of the Ski Club and the Outdoor Club, and fondly remembers canoeing down the Connecticut River—including an unplanned drop down a small waterfall—with his WSU buddies. Despite enjoying college life, Ricciardi had to face the financial realities of being the fourth of six children and opted to enter the business world to earn money.

He founded Ricciardi Bros. with his older brother Paul in 1979 and throughout the years, the family business grew though hard work and dedication. He bought out his brother six years ago and now his son, James “Jim Jr.” M. Ricciardi II, has joined him in the family business.

Over the years, Ricciardi has given back to Worcester State in many ways, including being a long-time supporter of the Worcester State Foundation Golf Tournament and donating to the Wellness Center through the Change Lives capital campaign to help name the Richard R. Korzec Golf Simulator. With his own history in mind, he and his wife, Sharon, decided to also endow a scholarship for hard-working WSU students with financial need.

“I know how hard it was for my family to come up with the funds to go to school. We really struggled,” he said. The scholarship is intended for students interested in the sciences. “I know young people who are experiencing financial difficulties. There are bright kids without the opportunity to go to school, and many want to pursue interests in the science fields. If we can, we want to encourage young kids to follow their dreams.”

The Ricciardis, who have been married for 28 years and have three children, also recently purchased a farm in Boylston to embrace environmentally sustainable business practices. As with all his endeavors, Ricciardi is confident his favorite saying will guide his success as a part-time farmer: “If you can believe it, you can make it happen.”