Reception celebrates first-time Scholars and Scholars who received first award in 2020.
Every year, American Savings Foundation celebrates its new scholarship recipients at a reception held at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville. This year, the Foundation celebrated 140 new American Savings Foundation Scholars, the largest new class in over 20 years! The Foundation also recognized the Scholars who first received an award in 2020. The Foundation’s 2020 reception was cancelled due to Covid, so these students were celebrated now, as most begin their senior year of college.
American Savings Foundation Scholars attend two-year and four-year colleges and technical/vocational programs in Connecticut and across the country. Including the sophomores and juniors also eligible to apply for a renewal of their award, the Foundation expects to award a total of $815,000 to 413 students during the 2023-2024 academic year. Most Scholars receive support for all four years of college.
In keeping with the theme, the Foundation invited two past American Savings Foundation Scholars to share their stories about the impact that in-person and social networks have had on their lives.
Kelly Ha, a 2015 Scholar, is now a clinical social worker for Connecticut Children’s, as well as a Licensed Therapist at Essence Behavioral Health. Ms. Ha is also the co-founder of the #IAmNotAVirus movement, a campaign launched in 2020 during the Covid Pandemic to counteract the harmful impact of anti-Asian American discrimination, through the power of storytelling.
Abigail Woodhouse, a 2012 Scholar, has spent a decade specializing in nonprofit digital communications and now serves as the Communications Officer for the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative. Ms. Woodhouse spoke about the importance of connections and recognizing the powerful communities around us and noted that a summer internship she held through the Foundation helped lead to her nonprofit career.
Over the past 27 years, the Foundation has awarded more than $15 million in scholarships. ASF Scholarships are awarded primarily based on financial need, with consideration given to academic performance, community involvement, and other indications of a strong desire to achieve goals through education.
Loan Nguyen, a 2002 Scholar, welcomed attendees on behalf of the Foundation’s board of directors. Ms. Nguyen is one of three past scholars now serving on the Foundation’s board, and ne of twelve who are part of the Foundation’s scholarship selection committee. She highlighted the continuity of the Foundation’s board, which awarded her a scholarship over 20 years ago, and where she now serves as the chair of the scholarship committee.
The American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment that also awards grants to area nonprofits. Since its inception, the foundation has contributed over $71.7 million in total grants and scholarships in central Connecticut. Scholarships are awarded to students from the 64 Connecticut towns served by the foundation.
New local 2023-2024 American Savings Foundation Scholars: Berlin –Bridget Abbott Duquesne University, Griffin Abbott University of Connecticut, Isabella Abbott Duquesne University; Brycen Blair Berlin High School; Alex Miloszewski Berlin High School; Michael Motta Berlin High School; Olivia Motta Berlin High School; Bristol: Era Agastra EC Goodwin Technical High School; Ava LeBlanc Central Connecticut State University; Farmington: Noah Moquete Farmington High school; Meriden: Rachael Porto Central Connecticut State University; Darilyn Rivera Francis T. Maloney High School; Julaisa Santiago University of Saint Joseph; Middletown: Brian Barrios Middletown High School; Anthony Randazzese Middletown High School; Amy Wiknik Middletown High School; New Britain: Ethan Adu New Britain High School; Nimah Almuntaser New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Yousef Alwan New Britain High School; Omar Alwishah New Britain High school; Brian Antonio New Britain High School; Lea Bahebura New Britain High School; Abdalrhaman Bashir New Britain High School; Aalina Belen New Britain High School; Justin Cancel New Britain High School; Cooper Cassells Central Connecticut State University; Zuhenid Collazo New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Kasianna Denmark New Britain High School; Kiatyanna Denmark New Britain High School; Karina Diaz-Doran New Britain High School; Jaidelyz Diaz Del Valle University of Hartford; Joel Etwaroo New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Ryan Feliciano New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Claudia Filipkowska Cruz University of Hartford; Natalia Freeman New Britain High School; Yisari Gonzalez New Britain High School; Tavianily Guevara New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Gerithbel Guzman New Britain High School; Dominic Huertas New Britain High School; Javeria Jalil Boston University; Kiera Johnson-Gathers New Britain High School; Dae’ja Josey University High School of Science and Engineering; Sarah Kavarnos University of Connecticut; Kendra Kennedy University of Connecticut; Edwin Maldonado New Britain High School; Daniel Maroun CREC Academy of Science and Innovation; Alyana Martinez New Britain High School; Catherine Milewska New Britain High School; Natalia Mocarski New Britain High School; Mercy Moket New Britian High School; Jasmine Moret New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Alexandra Murglin New Britain High School; Elizaer Ortiz New Britain High School; Maribel Panora New Britain High School; Gisselle Pluas-Saenz New Britain High School; Jeremy Ramirez New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Onix Reyes New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Jomar Rodriquez New Britain High School; Olivia Rutkowski New Britain High School; Meagyn Saffo-Darko New Britain High School; Ranyah Saleh New Britain High School; Reem Saleh New Britain High School; Angelita Sanchez New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Nathalie Sanchez Central Connecticut State University; Kamila Sasiela University of Connecticut; Klaudia Sasiela University of Connecticut; Genesis Smith New Britain High School; Aaliyah Soto New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy; Jose Valenzuela New Britain High School; Stephanie Vidal New Britain High School; Jayda Williams New Britain High School; Plainville: Noor Abbasi Plainville High School; Megan Gray Plainville High School; Patrick Kapusta Plainville High School; Annalisa Little Plainville High School; Teresa Strasser Saint Paul Catholic High School; Jaylen Thigpen Plainville High School; Southington: Jacob Hughes Southington High School; Sebastian Maslinski University of Connecticut.