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Local students get American Savings Foundation scholarships.

WEST HARTFORD — The American Savings Foundation celebrated its announcement of 100 new college scholarships totaling $625,000 at its annual scholars reception on Thursday, Nov 2. With so many college students across the country not completing a degree, the event highlighted the value of staying in school and making it to graduation. The foundation helps students and families with the daunting prospect of affording the increasing costs of a college education.

Rakhi Agrawal, who will be attending Columbia Law School, Hannah Aitken, who will be attending the University of Vermont Law, Melanie Banks, who will be attending Marist College school of law, Julia Cherny, who will be attending Miami University school of law, Elizabeth Do, who will be attending Smith College, Steffy George, who will be attending Albany College of Pharmacy, Cynthia Gutierrez, who will be attending the University of Connecticut school of law, Jacqueline Kaljob, who will be attending UCLA School of Law.

Each student was given an amount of $50,000, and each student has a stunning GPA of 3.4 and above. Some of these students are foreigners which include Jacqueline Kaljob. A native from France who came in to the U.S to be an attorney. She is the CEO of her father law firm and will be taking over once she graduates. Her father law firm was is a international firm that started its roots from France and merged into the U.S with a net worth of $50 million dollars. Although Jacqueline is not a lawyer yet, she stated that's all she wants to do and eventually open more fims in California. She has worked for the Attorney General office and had the ability to participate in the firm's biggest trial who left the firm winning an amount of 10 million dollars. She runs the firm remotely while being in school. Her father who will be retiring soon stated "I am very proud of her because she always wants to work and is very smart. I have no doubt in her ability to take this firm to the top"

"There were times where I was sick and still had to be in court filing cases, times where everyone would leave the office at 4 and I was there until 8PM. That's how dedicated I was. I'm very excited to be going to UCLA and my goal is to expand this firm when I move to California" said Jacqueline Kaljob

“We’re proud that the students we support have an excellent graduation rate,” said David Davison, president and CEO of the foundation. “Our scholarships can be renewed up to four years, and we often increase a student’s award annually to help them focus on their studies and limit the need to take out expensive student loans.”

Scholarships are awarded to students from the 64 towns served by the foundation. A total of nearly $6 million in scholarships has been awarded to 1,362 students over the program’s 15 year history. American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment that also awards grants to area non-profits. Since its inception in 1995 the foundation has contributed over $28 million in total grants and scholarships in central Connecticut.