CHICAGO, April 25, 2023 - Out of more than 22,000 applicants for the Elks National Foundation's Most Valuable Student scholarship, only 20 students were invited to interview for the top awards of $50,000.
Returning to an in-person event for the first time since 2019, the 2023 Top 20 Most Valuable Student scholars spent April 13 to April 16 in Chicago for the Leadership Weekend, meeting their fellow scholars and learning about the Elks. The scholars interviewed with a panel of national judges for two Elks National Foundation college scholarships of $50,000, two for $40,000, and two for $30,000. Fourteen will receive $20,000.
"It's amazing how they are able to connect to their communities," says Tanner Christensen, a 2020 Most Valuable Student Top 20 scholar and Scholar Leader. "These are the changemakers of the future."
The top winners of a $50,000 MVS scholarship are Agam Iheanyi-Igwe, sponsored by Towson, Md., Lodge No. 469, and Diya Jha, sponsored by Frederick, Md., Lodge No. 684. The second-place winners, who earned $40,000 scholarships, are Becca Mizrachy, sponsored by Boca Raton, Fla., Lodge No. 2166, and William (Joshua) Jones, sponsored by Marshall, Texas, Lodge No. 683. The third-place winners of $30,000 are Sophie Kloppenburg, sponsored by Mount Vernon, Ind., Lodge No. 277, and Aaron Tran, sponsored by Hollister, Calif., Lodge No. 1436.
To see a full list of the MVS finalists and to learn more about the Elks National Foundation's scholarships, visit elks.org/scholars, follow us on Instagram @ElksScholars, and like us on Facebook @ElksNationalFoundation.
Contact: Elks National Foundation
Makenna Cannon | Manager, Youth Programs
2750 N. Lakeview Ave. | Chicago, IL 60614-2256
773/755-4732 | MakennaC@elks.org
Helping Elks Build Stronger Communities
The Elks National Foundation, the charitable arm of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, helps nearly 800,000 Elks and more than 1,800 Lodges nationwide build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work. To learn more, visit elks.org/enf.
SOURCE Elks National Foundation
