The organization bestowed university scholarships of $2,500 each
San Juan, Puerto Rico - Eighteen university students will embark on careers related to the environment thanks to the support of the Toyota Foundation Environmental Scholarship program. Now in its 18th year, the program bestowed $45,000 in scholarships to help drive the academic careers of these future advocates of the environment.
The grantees are: Anthony Crespo Ayala, Mariela Encarnación Ojeda, Idamaris Vega Jiménez, Hennessy Bas Concepción, Adolfo Rodríguez Velázquez, Maricel Beltrán Burgos, Jerry Cordero Sepúlveda, Mariam Estavillo Torrellas, Fernando Figueroa Bonaparte, Doris Laguer Martínez, Edauri Navarro Pérez, Lizbeth Prtiz Burgos, Erosjonay Rivera Colón, Waldermar Ortiz Calo, Laura Roldán Hernández, María del Mar Sotelo Padrón, Karla Ortiz Flores y Sashayma Varela Morales. The students will pursue studies in Environmental Engineering, Geology, Environmental Sciences, Biology, Microbiology, and Industrial Biotechnology, among other fields.
According to Joe Barba, Sales and Marketing Director at Toyota de Puerto Rico, "we congratulate the winners of the Toyota Foundation Environmental Scholarship Program. These students are proof that a new generation of citizens wants to be a part of the solution to urgent matters like the delicate state of the environment. Through this scholarship program Toyota helps create professionals that contribute to the study, research and conservation of our natural environment, a responsibility we take seriously."
For Maricel Beltrán Burgos, a student of Geology at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez campus, the scholarship "has greatly contributed not only to keeping alive my desire to become a geologist, but also to defending my commitment to preserving our natural surroundings. The support that the scholarship affords me has given me the tools I need to continue working toward that which I desire the most."
Since its founding in 1997, the Toyota Foundation has contributed over $500,000 to the development of professionals committed to creating a better environment. Toyota is in alliance with the Puerto Rico Community Foundation for the management of the scholarship program. The grant giving ceremony was held at the restaurant El Livin in San Juan.
About the Toyota Foundation -
The Toyota Foundation was created in 1997 based on Toyota de Puerto Rico's interest to take concrete action in its commitment to the environment and to education related to ecological causes. Since then, the program has supported a number of environmental projects and has bestowed over 140 scholarships. The organization supports research, restoration or environmental conservation projects. It also contributes to speaking engagements, recycling projects and initiatives related to curbing global warming and climate change. It also offers university scholarships each year to students pursuing studies related to the environment.
