During the Memorial Luncheon at PROJECT 2000 XXXVII, the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation recognized several scholarship recipients whose lives and journeys reflect the heart of the Foundation’s mission. Among them was Josephine Parlo, daughter of Senior Officer Specialist Christopher Parlo, End of Watch August 16, 2017, who was recognized as a recipient of the Eric Williams Scholarship.
Although Josephine was unable to attend PROJECT in person, her story was shared during the luncheon by Sgt. Howard Dowdell as part of a moving tribute to the scholarship recipients and the legacy of the fallen correctional professionals whose service continues to shape the future of their families.
The Eric Williams Scholarship honors the memory of Correctional Officer Eric Williams, who was killed in the line of duty on February 25, 2013, at USP Canaan in Pennsylvania. Established through the advocacy of Voices of JOE, the scholarship serves as a lasting reminder that the sacrifice of fallen correctional professionals will not be forgotten and that their children and families will continue to be supported in meaningful, life-changing ways.
For Josephine, that support comes at an important turning point. This fall, she will begin her studies at the University of New Haven, stepping into a new chapter while carrying the memory of her father with her.
In her scholarship essay, Josephine reflected on what it means to stand between the life she has always known and the future she is still becoming. She wrote candidly about the challenge of growing up as the daughter of a fallen officer, navigating milestones and accomplishments without her father by her side, while hoping that each step forward would make him proud.
That strength and determination can be seen throughout every part of her story.
A student deeply committed to both academics and extracurricular involvement, Josephine has distinguished herself through hard work, discipline, and perseverance. She has participated in marching band, competed on the varsity golf team, and served as basketball manager for the boys varsity basketball team at Millville High School. In the classroom and beyond, she has pushed herself to excel, earning bronze, silver, and gold Congressional Award medals, achieving academic varsity all four years of high school, and becoming a member of the National Honor Society.
Yet what makes Josephine’s story so meaningful is not simply the list of accomplishments she has earned. It is the way she speaks about growth, loyalty, and becoming. In her essay, she shares that she is no longer the person she used to be, but not yet the person she is going to become. It is in that in-between space — shaped by grief, resilience, hard work, and hope — that she continues to move forward.
Her story is a powerful reminder of why the Foundation’s scholarship program matters. These scholarships are more than financial assistance. They are an investment in the futures of the children of our fallen, a way of honoring the service and sacrifice of correctional professionals by helping their families continue to pursue opportunity, purpose, and hope.
For the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation, that promise has always been at the center of the mission: to take care of our own not only in the immediate aftermath of tragedy, but for the long road that follows. Through catastrophic assistance, survivor support, and scholarships, CPOF continues to stand beside correctional families as they rebuild, heal, and look toward the future.
We are proud to recognize Josephine Parlo as an Eric Williams Scholarship recipient and honored to celebrate this next chapter in her journey. As she begins her college career at the University of New Haven, we do so in memory of her father, Christopher Parlo, and with deep admiration for the strength, grace, and determination Josephine carries forward in his honor.
Congratulations, Josephine.