The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. selected two female students to each receive a $15,000 scholarship at the league's fifth annual WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon in New York City.
Jeanni Johnson of Elmsford, N.Y. and Jordana Vasquez of Perth Amboy, N.J. were selected by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, respectively, as the recipients of the first-ever scholarships through this program.
"The WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon is a highlight on our league's calendar and a truly appropriate setting to honor these extremely deserving young women," said WNBA President Donna Orender. "Through this new scholarship program, both the WNBA and BACARDI Gold will highlight our shared commitment to advancing opportunities in education among women and letting these dynamic stories serve as inspiration for all those pursing similar dreams."
"BACARDI Gold salutes Jeanni Johnson and Jordana Vasquez on their exceptional academic achievements and their community involvement," said Margaret McDonnell, brand director, BACARDI Rums. "Their dedication to education, community service and betterment to others are all values that Bacardi U.S.A. embraces."
Jeanni Johnson received her bachelor of science in psychology from Clarkson University in 2008. She was a presidential scholar in the spring of 2007 and 2008, and was on the dean's list in fall 2008. She is currently pursuing a master’s of science in social work at Columbia University and is on pace to graduate in 2011. Along with her studies, she currently works at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as a social work oncology fellow and New York-Presbyterian Hospital Payne Whitney Westchester Division as a mental health worker. Her goal is to leave behind a legacy of groundbreaking work in the field of psychiatry.
Jordana Vasquez just completed her second year at Essex County College, where she maintained a 3.57 GPA. She has been accepted to Pratt Institute, where she will begin studying Architecture in the fall. In addition to her studies, Jordana speaks fluent Spanish, English and Portuguese and plays an active role in her community. As Vice President of Leadership for an international honor society, she has implemented and participated in various community service activities; including volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, the 2010 Census and The Walk for World Hunger, just to name a few. Jordana was also selected for a coveted architecture internship her first year at Essex County College where her goal to continue expressing herself through art and design became a reality. Jordana plans on gaining a bachelors degree in architecture while continuing to give back to her community.
The scholarship program was created to recognize adult leaders from the African American and Hispanic communities in the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut), who excel in the classroom, are leaders in the community, and exemplify the values of volunteerism and service.
The fifth annual WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, July 14 at Gotham Hall in New York City, with more than 300 prominent attendees from the worlds of entertainment, sports, business, and politics. The league will present Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, with the 2010 WNBA Inspiration Award, which recognizes an individual who inspires others through her commitment and dedication to work, family, and community.
Past honorees include former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Good Morning America's Robin Roberts, and political commentator Cokie Roberts. The WNBA Inspiring Women scholarship program is a precursor to the previously announced Gold Standard Scholarship Program, which the NBA and BACARDI Gold will run. The program, conducted in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, will tip off at the start of the 2010-11 academic year and will award more than $200,000 annually to dedicated students 21 years of age or older to help them reach their educational goals.
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