1,100 Buick Achievers Scholarship Recipients Chosen

100 receive up to $25,000 in annual awards for excellence in classroom and community

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Jul 20, 2011, 09:00 ET

DETROIT, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Buick and the General Motors Foundation named 1,100 recipients of the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program on Wednesday, including 100 outstanding students from across the United States who will each receive a scholarship of up to $25,000 that is renewable for up to four years.

The $4.5 million-per-year scholarship program, which was announced in February, recognizes and rewards college-bound students who excel both in the classroom and in the community. The program is funded by the GM Foundation and is among the largest awarded over multiple years.

In total, the foundation's annual funding could reach $18 million annually after four years.

"One of the aims of the Buick Achievers Scholarship program is to strongly encourage today's brightest young minds to pursue fields of study that will prepare them for careers in manufacturing industries," said Bob Ferguson, GM Foundation chairman and GM vice president, Global Public Policy. "By doing so, we will help improve our nation's global competitiveness in fields that are driving economic growth in the 21st century."

Many of the scholarship recipients have declared majors in chemical, environmental, electrical, mechanical and manufacturing engineering as well as business administration, accounting, finance, mathematics, graphic design and marketing.

"The availability of Buick Achievers Scholarship funds is expected to make a significant difference in these students' lives," said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president, Buick Marketing. "The high-dollar value and renewability of the awards will provide recipients with a tremendous benefit throughout their college careers and help ensure they reach their potential."

According to The College Board®, the average annual tuition increase in 2010-2011 was 7.9 percent at public universities and 4.5 percent at private colleges. These figures far outstrip the general inflation rate and personal income growth.

"So many of our scholarship recipients have overcome significant hurdles en route to college," DiSalle said. "It is gratifying to know that, through the Buick Achievers Scholarship program, we are able to help them pursue their dreams."

Nearly half of the 1,100 scholarship recipients are the first in their families to attend college. The selected students represent all 50 states. A number of the recipients are dependents of military families, with the potential of up to $1.6 million in Buick Achievers Scholarship support being provided over these students' college careers.

The 100 students receiving up to $25,000 in Buick Achievers Scholarship funds are:

Alabama

Madison Schneider, Daphne, Ala. (Business Administration, Samford University)

Arkansas

Elizabeth Kyle, Bentonville, Ark. (Finance, University of Arkansas)

Vinikarn Phahurat, Rogers, Ark. (Mechanical Engineering, Hendrix College)

California

Alex Baucom, Ventura, Calif. (Mechanical Engineering, California Polytechnic State University)

Mariana Estephanian, Pasadena, Calif. (Business Economics, University of California at Santa Barbara)

Daniel Graupensperger, Auburn, Calif. (Chemical Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles)

Henry Hung, Hercules, Calif. (Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University)

Miasha Nakahara, Montrose, Calif. (Graphic Design, Rochester Institute of Technology)

Jennifer Siu, Burlingame, Calif. (Business Administration, University of California at Berkeley)

Colorado

Brook Hernandez, Eckert, Colo. (Engineering Technology, University of Colorado at Boulder)

Christian Liebig, Denver, Colo. (Chemical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines)

Samantha Olvera, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Chemical Engineering, Rice University)

Tyler Starr, Denver, Colo. (Business Administration, University of Denver)

Connecticut

Lauren Roberge, Bristol, Conn. (Accounting, Bentley University)

Ofonime Udo-Okon, Stratford, Conn. (Business Administration, University of Connecticut at Stamford)

Florida

Katheryn Campbell, Lakeland, Fla. (Environmental Engineering, University of Florida)

Victoria Coraci, Plantation, Fla. (Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida)

Danielle Diclemente, Maitland, Fla. (Engineering Technology, University of Richmond)

Benjamin Gajus, Parkland, Fla. (Business Administration, University of Florida)

Jennifer Gammond, Aventura, Fla. (Business Administration, Cornell University)

Tuyet Le, Gainesville, Fla. (Chemical Engineering, University of Florida)

Robert Lyerly, Destin, Fla. (Accounting, University of Pennsylvania)

Carol Movschowitz, Coconut Creek, Fla. (Business Administration, University of Florida)

Matthew Seely, Boca Raton, Fla. (Mathematics, University of Chicago)

Ashley Talham, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Finance, University of Florida)

Joshua Twigg, Ocala, Fla. (Mechanical Engineering, Liberty University)

Janet Ying, Pembroke Pines, Fla. (Business Administration, University of California at Berkeley)

Georgia

Ariel Andrews, East Point, Ga. (Business Administration, Columbus State University)

Zineb Bouzoubaa, Conyers, Ga. (Environmental Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Marika Brownlee, Savannah, Ga. (Mathematics, University of Chicago)

Morgan Grayned, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Business Administration, Hampton University)

Paul Harris, Atlanta, Ga. (Mathematics, Harvard College)

Daria Jordan, Duluth, Ga. (Electrical Engineering, Spelman College)

Priya Malhotra, Lawrenceville, Ga. (International Business, University of Virginia)

Adriann Wilson, Albany, Ga. (Mechanical Engineering, Tennessee State University)

Illinois

Kenya Ansah, Chicago, Ill. (Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Haley Butterfield, Collinsville, Ill. (Chemical Engineering, Vanderbilt University)

Andrew Kortze, Rockford, Ill. (Mechanical Engineering, Valparaiso University)

Taylor Malloy, Chicago, Ill. (Accounting, Purdue University)

Hannah Morsch, Hinckley, Ill. (Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Christine Rovani, Mt. Prospect, Ill. (Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Indiana

Iman Howard, Evansville, Ind. (Business Administration, Purdue University)

Matthew Prall, Columbus, Ind. (Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University)

Iowa

Bella Gonzalez, Ottumwa, Iowa (Economics, Brown University)

Maxwell Mcclelland, Des Moines, Iowa (Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University)

Zeah Peterson, Baxter, Iowa (Accounting, Drake University)

Kansas

Alby Harris, Great Bend, Kan. (Chemical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines)

Louisiana

Stavros Stratis, Metairie, La. (Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)

Massachusetts

Jacob Fenuccio, Sutton, Mass. (Mechanical Engineering, Northeastern University)

Jevon Yu, Billerica, Mass. (Electrical Engineering, Cornell University)

Michigan

Donovan Colquitt, Southfield, Mich. (Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan)

Darius Crum, Albion, Mich. (Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan)

Atif Hashwi, Dearborn, Mich. (Biochemical Engineering, University of Michigan)

Mason Liang, Troy, Mich. (Mathematics, Yale University)

Gregory Maxwell, South Haven, Mich. (Mechanical Engineering, Western Michigan University)

Gina Saab, Royal Oak, Mich. (Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan)

Minnesota

Craig Haukom, Marshall, Minn. (Manufacturing Engineering, Augustana College)

Brook Lafloe, St. Paul, Minn. (Business Administration, Macalester University)

Cedric Speltz, Altura, Minn. (Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University)

Mississippi

Leena El-Sadek, Terry, Miss. (Finance, Duke University)

Oneisha Hall of Belzoni, Miss. (Business Administration, Tuskegee University)

Nebraska

Amanda Urbanski, Papillion, Neb. (Business Administration, College of St. Benedict)

New Jersey

Won Lee, Montvale, N.J. (Chemical Engineering, Harvard College)

Kara Teehan, Red Bank, N.J. (Mathematics, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey)

New Mexico

Briana Montano, Las Vegas, N.M. (Mathematics, University of New Mexico)

North Carolina

Thomas Kelly, Shelby, N.C. (Mathematics, Princeton University)

Edward Palumbo, New Bern, N.C. (Chemical Engineering, Davidson College)

North Dakota

Katelyn Schirado, Glen Ullin, N.D. (Mechanical Engineering, North Dakota University)

Ohio

Joyce Badertscher, Apple Creek, Ohio (Finance, Ashland University)

Kyla Dietrich, Ney, Ohio (Chemical Engineering, Trine University)

Ma'At Ford, New Albany, Ohio (Robotics Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

Jennifer Frame, Pioneer, Ohio (Chemical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University)

Matthew Meyer, Chagrin Falls, Ohio (Chemical Engineering, Clemson University)

Khalid Osman, Oxford, Ohio (Chemical Engineering, Miami University at Oxford)

Margo Roseum, Willoughby Hills, Ohio (Marketing, Ohio Northern University)

Oklahoma

Sarah Bedell, Yukon, Okla. (Mechanical Engineering, University of Oklahoma)

Lindsey Davis, Owasso, Okla. (Mechanical Engineering, John Brown University)

Ashli Strawn, Idabel, Okla. (Electrical Engineering, University of Oklahoma)

Oregon

Dmitrey Timofeyev, Woodburn, Ore. (Mechanical Engineering, George Fox University)

Pennsylvania

Adrian Jones, Harrisburg, Penn. (Mechanical Engineering, Harvard College)

South Carolina

Leslie Sanders, Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Chemical Engineering, Clemson University)

Angel Spigner, Orangeburg, S.C. (Mechanical Engineering, South Carolina State University)

South Dakota

Nickolas Oster, Eureka, S.D. (Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology)

Texas

Aman Agrawala, San Antonio, Texas (Chemical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley)

Jordan Alvarez, Houston, Texas (Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin)

Oliver Brown, San Leon, Texas (Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin)

Laura Hernandez, Weslaco, Texas (Environmental Engineering, Texas Tech University)

Anuruddha Jayasinghe, Coppell, Texas (Industrial Design, Carnegie Mellon University)

Travis Terrell Ramos, Llano, Texas (Environmental Engineering, Miami University: Oxford Campus)

Neha Vaidya, Houston, Texas (Business Administration, University of Texas at Austin)

Haoran Wang, College Station, Texas (Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan)

Virginia

Erin Anderson, Richmond, Va. (Finance, University of Pennsylvania)

Gabrielle Badura, Midlothian, Va. (Environmental Engineering, Princeton University)

Benjamin Burnett, Newport News, Va. (Business Administration, University of Oklahoma)

Arianna Mcquillen, Fairfax Station, Va. (Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Hannah Myers, Fishersville, Va. (Accounting, Liberty University)

Washington

Laurena Lau, Mukilteo, Wash. (Business Administration, University of Washington)

Hana Page, Lakewood, Wash. (Chemical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania)

Wisconsin

Justin Fluegge-Elmer, Sheboygan, Wisc. (Industrial Engineering, University of Wisconsin at Madison)

Sierra Flury, Osseo, Wisc. (Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin at Madison)

In addition to providing 100 students with up to $25,000 per year, Buick Achievers will provide 1,000 students with $2,000 scholarships renewable for up to four years. Eligible fields of study include science, technology, engineering, mathematics, design, marketing and business administration. The Buick Achievers Scholarship Program is an example of the GM Foundation's education initiatives to invest in the youth of America. The GM Foundation has provided more than $26 million in education-related initiatives since 2005.

Applications for the 2012-13 Buick Achievers Scholarship program will be accepted in the spring of 2012. Students can register online at www.buickachievers.com to be notified when the application process begins.

About the GM Foundation

Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to deserving American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM. The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001. For more information, visit www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility/community.

About Buick

Buick is a modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors with thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance. Buick is the fastest growing major automotive brand in the U.S. and is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning models, including the Enclave crossover, LaCrosse sedan, Regal sport sedan and highly anticipated Verano. Learn more about Buick cars and crossovers at www.buick.com, on Twitter @buick or at www.facebook.com/buick.

SOURCE General Motors