Brandeis students awarded TruFit Good Citizen Scholarships

Brandeis students Allison Ivie ‘13 (Heller MPP) and Emily Balmuth-Loris ‘14 are among the winners of the Citizens Financial Group’s first annual TruFit Good Citizen Scholarship program, which awarded a total of $50,000 in college scholarships to 20 students in New England, the Mid-Atlantic and the Midwest.

Citizens created the college scholarship program as a way to recognize students whose volunteer efforts have made a difference in their communities. The scholarships were awarded in time to provide funding for the upcoming academic period as students return to school from holiday break. The winners were chosen based on the responsibility and leadership skills they have demonstrated through community service.

Nearly 1,800 college students applied for the scholarships, which included awards of $1,500, $5,000 and a $7,500 grand prize. Ivie, who volunteers as an advocate for women, was the first runner up for grand prize, and received $5,000 scholarship.

"Working with clients over the 24-hour crisis line and coming up with strategies to improve their situation was rewarding beyond measure,” said Ivie. “Seeing women enter the shelter bruised and beaten down and then leaving with a new apartment and job was evidence that the cycle of violence can be broken."

Balmuth-Loris, who volunteers at an after-school program for low-income children, received a $1,500 scholarship. Balmuth-Loris is double majoring in Anthropology and International and Global Gtudies and double minoring in Business and Social Justice and Social Policy. She has raised money for the orgainization Women for Women International to help the women of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is in the process of starting a Brandeis chapter of Youth United for Global Action and Awareness.

 “The students in our inaugural class of TruFit Good Citizen Scholarship winners have shown an incredible dedication to the quality of life of others, and we commend them for the impact they have had as volunteers,” said Brendan Coughlin, president of Education Finance, Citizens Financial Group. “As a company that believes strongly in contributing to the health of our local communities and enabling more students to pursue higher education, we are excited by this opportunity to showcase these students as role models and to help them pursue their educational goals in college.”

For images and the winners' poster, log on to the Citizen’s Bank facebook page.