With college tuition on a steady rise, families and students continue the struggle to make ends meet. In an effort to ease the burden, the Jewish Community Foundation awards annual scholarships and loans to St. Louis undergrad and graduate students. This year, 8 locals were the lucky recipients of nearly $25,000 in support.
The scholarships and interest-free loans cover part of the students’ education, made possible through endowments administered by the JCF. The financial aid is awarded based on financial need, academic merit, involvement in extracurricular activities, and community service.
Winners for 2012-2013 are:
- L. Allen Zorensky Memorial Fine Arts Loan Fund: Haleah Cassell, Jonathan Levy (second time recipient), Stuart Portman (third time recipient), Joseph Weil (third time recipient). The loan is given to those pursuing a fine arts degree from a recognized institution or program.
- Blanche & Irving Miller Scholarship Fund: Lauren Hasse, Rachel Lindsay. The scholarship is given to students enrolled in accredited colleges or universities pursuing degrees in professional fields such as law, medicine, journalism, and hospital administration.
- Sam A. Kessler Memorial Scholarship: Emily Rosenfeld. The scholarship is granted to a local, qualified law school student.
- Richard L. Levis, Jr. Memorial Scholarship: David Lindsay. The scholarship is granted to students pursuing higher education at a Missouri college or university.
Haleah Cassell is a first-time recipient of the L. Allen Zorensky Memorial Fine Arts Loan. Receiving the financial aid allowed her to follow her longtime aspiration of studying film. “Film has always been a passion of mine. Now, thanks to the Jewish Federation granting me the L. Allen Zorensky Fine Arts Loan, I will be able to pursue my dream at Columbia College Chicago’s film program. I am so excited to begin this amazing chapter in my life.”
The recipients come from a variety of backgrounds, sharing both St. Louis and Jewish roots. They are appreciative of the support from JCF.
For more information on these opportunities, or to learn about creating a new educational endowment, call Wendy Rosenblum at (314) 442-3740.
The Jewish Community Foundation of St. Louis is a Jewish Federation service launched in 2005 to serve as a central place for long-term planned giving, to attract more endowments and build permanent community resources within one endowment structure. It is backed by 100+ years of Federation’s service as a trustee of the St. Louis Jewish community’s funds, which currently has more than $126 million in endowment assets and one of the largest unrestricted endowments of any North American Jewish Federation.