LOS ANGELES, November 05, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Cathay Bank Foundation is delighted to announce the 20 recipients of the 2024 Cathay Bank Foundation Scholarship. This year, the scholarship program received 720 applications, a 35% increase from last year’s 533 applications. Notably, more than 29% of students applying for the scholarship program will be the first to attend college in their family and 90% are minorities.

The Asian Pacific Community Fund, the program administrator, diligently narrowed the pool to 487 highly qualified candidates. Then, Cathay Bank volunteers reviewed and evaluated these candidates to choose the final 20 awardees.

The Cathay Bank Foundation Scholarship has become a hallmark of our commitment to positively impact the education of our communities. With an award of $2,500 to each scholarship awardee, these students will receive financial assistance towards tuition costs as they pursue their higher education goals.

The 2024 Cathay Bank Foundation Scholarship recipients represent the best and brightest of the states we serve. We are proud to introduce the following outstanding students:

1. California – Alan Zeng

2. California – Ania Saucedo Cedillo

3. California – Annie Cai

4. California – Yanfen Lin

5. Illinois – Aarya Drover

6. Illinois – Alice Jiang

7. Maryland – Aarju Karki

8. Maryland – Yaa Ofori-Appiah

9. Massachusetts – Aileen Lopez-Merida

10. Massachusetts – Jessica Li

11. Nevada – Isaac Briones

12. Nevada – Rochelle K-Ahwireng

13. New Jersey – Derek Cho

14. New Jersey – Martin Bassett

15. New York – Bianna Chen

16. New York – Sylvia Tai

17. Texas – Sara Essa

18. Texas – Sebastian Rico

19. Washington – Alvin Sung

20. Washington – Shilten Kenzhegazy

Deborah Ching, Chair of the Cathay Bank Foundation, said, "The scholarship recipients represent a wide range of talent across many fields of study. They all share a drive to make positive contributions to their communities and this country. Cathay Bank Foundation is proud to support these outstanding individuals in pursuit of their educational and career goals."

Nancy Tarr, Cathay Bank’s Senior Vice President and Director of Community Development, said, "Cathay Bank proudly sponsors these scholarships for exceptional students as an investment in our future. This year the scholarship amount was increased to $2,500 to provide additional support for the aspirations of these 20 deserving community leaders. We wish them much success in their educational journey."

The Cathay Bank Foundation Scholarship continues to grow and positively impact the lives of deserving students each year. It reflects our steadfast commitment to investing in the future leaders of our communities, empowering them to achieve their dreams and contribute to society.