Mount Vernon, West Potomac grads awarded scholarships from UCM

September 1, 2017 Community News, Schools
Batelle recipients

From left: Faizan Tariq, 2016 Battelle-UCM Scholarship recipient, who is majoring in computer science engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University; Regina Schofield; Mount Vernon High School graduate Noorjahan Sheikh, 2017 Battelle-UCM Scholarship awardee; and 2016 awardee Imad Arouna, who is in his second year at Northern Virginia Community College studying Electrical Engineering. (UCM picture)

United Community Ministries and Battelle announced Thursday that they have awarded two recent high school graduates in the Richmond Highway area with college scholarships.

Noorjahan Sheikh, a 2017 Mount Vernon graduate, and Ana Villalobos, a 2017 West Potomac graduate, were selected for UCM’s Battelle scholarships, which are designed to encourage students from working class families in the Route 1 area to pursue college degrees in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) areas.

Sheikh will attend Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where she’s planning to study biology with the goal to become an emergency room physician.

Villalobos graduated from West Potomac High School and will also attend Virginia Commonwealth University, where she will pursue her dream to become a dentist. Villalobos was also a recipient of one of UCM’s Valencourt Scholarships.

UCM’s Battelle scholarships began in 2014 are awarded annually through a grant from Battelle, a global research and development organization. Students from Bryant Alternative, West Potomac and Mount Vernon are eligible.

“Earning a college degree is key to economic opportunity and financial independence,” UCM Executive Director Alison DeCourcey said in a statement. “It means a significant increase in lifetime earnings. The advantages of studying in a STEM field are even more substantial. We appreciate our partnership with Battelle and its commitment to invest in access to opportunity. Their team truly understands the power of investing in young people so that they can create a better future for themselves. Together, we are truly changing lives.”