~ Five Students Honored During Halftime of HEAT Game ~
BankUnited Senior Executive Vice President Gerry Litrento was on hand at a recent Miami HEAT game to help present five scholarships to South Florida students. Pictured (L-R): Jocabed Martinez; Lannie Rubio; Gerry Litrento, BankUnited senior executive vice president; Maria Alaez; Steve Stowe, executive director, Miami HEAT Charitable Fund; Alonzo Mourning, Miami HEAT legend and vice president of player programs; Sally Lu; and Jamesia Henderson
The Miami HEAT and BankUnited announced the recipients of five HEAT Scholarships presented by BankUnited, including the Alec Kessler Student-Athlete Scholarship, the Dr. Jack Ramsay Scholarship and three HEAT Scholarships.
In its 21st year, the HEAT Scholarships offer $25,000 in funds to high school seniors in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach or Monroe County. The scholarships, valued at $5,000 each, are awarded based on excellent academic performance, exceptional community service, and financial need.
“In partnership with the Miami HEAT, BankUnited honors these five outstanding students who have incredibly bright futures ahead of them,” said BankUnited President and CEO Rajinder P. Singh. “These students have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to their communities while excelling academically. We congratulate them and wish them all the best as they continue their education and pursue their dreams.”
Jamesia Henderson, a student at Miami Killian Senior High School,is the recipient of the Alec Kessler Student-Athlete Scholarship. A member of the varsity girls volleyball team, Henderson plans to attend Stetson University in the fall and pursue a major in physical therapy. She earned a 4.7 GPA while taking an active role as a member of the school’s Environmental Club and National Science Honor Society. Henderson also volunteers her time in the community through the Miami chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, participating in community service projects to serve the homeless and hungry, coordinating hat drives for cancer patients, and taking part in events to benefit local charities.
Sally Lu is the recipient of the Dr. Jack Ramsay Scholarship. A student at Mater Academy Charter in Hialeah, Lu plans to attend Johns Hopkins University in the fall to study cellular and molecular biology. She earned a 5.2 GPA while serving as an active member and officer of her school’s Model United Nations Club, Health Occupations Students of America, National Honor Society and National French Honor Society. Lu volunteered over 400 hours of community service, including time spent volunteering on behalf of Love146, a nonprofit organization that seeks to end child trafficking and exploitation. This past summer, Lu traveled to Zhuhai, China, and collaborated with the local government to host a child trafficking and drug abuse panel to introduce the Love146 prevention curriculum within that community.
Jocabed Martinez, a senior at Pahokee Middle/Senior High School,is the recipient of a HEAT Scholarship. She will graduate as the salutatorian of her class with a 4.7 GPA, and will pursue a major in ESL education when she attends Santa Fe College this fall. Martinez’s long list of leadership roles include serving as president of the Spanish Honor Society and the Interact Club; senior class vice president; and student council secretary. She also serves as president of the Dreamcatchers Club, an organization that fulfills dreams of local hospice patients. Martinez dedicated nearly 600 community service hours to several local organizations, including: the Loula V. York Library in Pahokee, where she facilitates story times, book groups, craft programs, and special events that promote reading for children and families; and Bridges of Pahokee, where she serves as a volunteer photographer.
Lannie Rubio, a student at New World School of the Arts in Miami, is the recipient of a HEAT Scholarship. As she decides between the University of Michigan, Florida State University and Syracuse University, Rubio plans to pursue a major in musical theater and journalism. Having earned a 4.9 GPA, Rubio is actively involved in her school, serving as president of the Thespian Honor Society, secretary of the National French Honor Society, treasurer of the English Honor Society, historian of the Model United Nations, and as an active member of the National Honor Society. She completed over 600 community service hours volunteering for various community organizations, including: Youth Advisory Committee for the Children’s Trust; Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables; and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, where she served as a Bedside Music Volunteer, providing their pediatric population with a positive musical experience through live performance and interactive music making while enhancing normalization, social interaction and the overall patient and family experience.
Maria Alaez, a student at Fort Lauderdale High School,is the recipient of a HEAT Scholarship. With a 5.3 GPA, Alaez plans to attend the University of Florida this fall, where she will pursue a double major in business management and public relations. She is president of her school’s Mu Alpha Theta Math Club, treasurer of the National Honor Society and a member of the Environmental Club. She completed over 500 hours of community service working as a volunteer assistant at Gulfstream Middle School in Hallandale Beach, and with the Jubilee Center of South Broward, which provides a lifeline for the homeless and economically disadvantaged.
About BankUnited, N.A.
BankUnited, N.A., a national bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of BankUnited, Inc. (NYSE: BKU), is headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida with 94 banking centers in 15 Florida counties and six banking centers in the New York metropolitan area at December 31, 2016. One of the largest independent depository institutions headquartered in Florida by assets, BankUnited provides a wide range of commercial and consumer banking services. For additional information, call (877) 779-2265 or visit www.BankUnited.com. BankUnited can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/BankUnited.
