The Hispanic Business Council Scholarship Foundation of NJ, Inc. (HBCSF) announces that Union City residents Elaine Gomez and Ashley Cintron were among the fifteen current college and college-bound students recognized with scholarship or book stipend awards at the foundation’s 19th Annual Scholarship Gala held on Friday, May 14 at the Highlawn Pavilion in West Orange, New Jersey.
Ms. Gomez, a senior at Union City High School, received a $4,000 scholarship and will pursue her studies in the environmental sciences at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She has undertaken original research concerning the environment and participated in various science fair competitions. Among these competitions, she participated in the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair in May and placed third in the environmental sciences category, receiving a $1,000 award for her project “Sources of Sedimentary Organic Matter in the New York Jamaica Bay Region”.
Ms. Cintron, a first year student at Montclair State University pursuing a degree in education, received a $1,000 book stipend award. In 2009, she received the HBCSF’s Mercedes-Benz Outstanding Achievement Award and a $4,000 scholarship. Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, she has lived in Union City for six years.
Fifteen current college and college-bound Hispanic students were recognized with scholarship or book stipend awards. All scholarship recipients are required to be enrolled full-time at a postsecondary institution, maintain a 3.0 grade point average, and complete 80 hours of community service between June 2010- June 2011.
The gala was the nonprofit organization’s major fundraiser of the year for scholarship support. Since 1993, the foundation’s scholarship award total has exceeded $280,000 to more than 95 students throughout the state.
This year’s annual gala recognized the following three honorees for their leadership and contributions to the community: Ms. Ivette R. Alvarez, Esq. – Einhorn, Harris, Ascher, Barbarito & Frost P.C.; Mr. Luis Diaz, Esq. – Gibbons P.C.; and Mr. Cid Wilson – Kern, Suslow Securities, LLC.