Liberty Foundation unveils Jasmine Camacho-Quinn Athletics Scholarship Fund winners
Liberty Foundation recently presented the first four recipients of its Jasmine Camacho-Quinn Athletics Scholarship Fund. Local education nonprofit organization Kinesis selected the student athlete winners.
The four students were Jomar Rodríguez-Santana, of the University of Puerto Rico’s Mayagüez Campus; Denise Garay-López, of Sacred Heart University in Santurce; Lariely Nieves-Rivera, from the University of California in Berkeley, California, and Karol Heredia-Rolón, of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce.
Rodríguez-Santana, Garay-López and Heredia-Rolón practice track and field disciplines, and Nieves-Rivera does weightlifting. Each will receive an annual scholarship of $6,250 for four years if they continue meeting all the requirements of this competitive scholarship, the foundation stated.
“When we named Jasmine our ambassador last year, we envisioned ways in which we could connect her with communities on the island, and the scholarship is a natural way to do just that because it will help these students continue developing and standing out in their respective sports during college years,” said Naji Khoury, Liberty CEO and president of the Liberty Foundation.
“Jasmine is a true role model for our youth not just in her sport but as an example of perseverance and we are very proud to have her in our team,” he said.
Camacho-Quinn met recently with Garay-López and Heredia-Rolón and gave them advice as an Olympic champion and a high-performance athlete.
“Try to keep a positive mindset. It’s not going to be easy. There are going to be days when you feel mentally defeated, but at that point, you just have to push yourself through it,” Camacho-Quinn told the athletes.
Kinesis, a local education nonprofit organization, oversaw student selection for the scholarship fund. In addition to the specialized scholarship programs, the organization awards the Kinesis Scholarship to help outstanding students with limited financial resources complete undergraduate or graduate studies in Puerto Rico and the United States.
Kinesis is also one of the nonprofit organizations that Liberty Foundation supports through its funding programs.
“At Kinesis, we know that a successful student must have discipline and determination. Athletes are the best example of this,” said José A. Cruz, Kinesis’ executive director.
“We’re very proud to encourage the dreams of our Puerto Rican student athletes right to the moment they accomplish their goals. We thank Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, our Olympic medalist, for her loyal commitment to Puerto Rican students and those who make this scholarship possible,” he said.
“Words cannot express how much this means to me. It’s an honor to be part of the track and field team of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico,” said Heredia-Rolón.
“This has been possible thanks to your donation. I’m participating and practicing with first-tier athletes. I am so grateful for that. Thank you, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn,” she said.
