Ronald McDonald House Charities of the New York Tri-State Area (RMHC) honored the six recipients of its 2015 RMHC/ASIA (Asian Students Increasing Achievement) Scholarship Program at a special awards luncheon held at the Asia Society in Manhattan. Selected from a competitive pool of applicants from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, each winner was awarded a $17,000 scholarship in recognition of their commitment to community service and academic achievements. Hosted by Fox 5 newscaster Arthur Chi’en, the event featured a keynote address delivered by AHALife.com founder and CEO Shauna Mei, and a special award presentation to Bill Chong, Commissioner of the Department of Youth & Community Development, who was honored for his leadership in serving the youth community.

Now in its 15th year, the RMHC/ASIA Scholarship Program annually grants six college scholarships to exceptional Asian high school students in the New York Tri-State Area, making it the largest program of its kind. The program seeks to identify and support students in financial need who have demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and community involvement. To date, the program has awarded over $1.4 million.

“The RMHC/ASIA Scholarship Program has been essential in helping exemplary students achieve their college education dreams,” said Christopher Perry, Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Tri-State Area. “RMHC is proud to honor the next generation of student-leaders who show passion and dedication to serving their communities.”

The recipients of the 2015 RMHC/ASIA Scholarship Program are:

• Monisha Afrooz, 18, of Townsend Harris High School in Flushing is actively involved with DesiGirls at the South Asian Youth Action. She will be attending Cornell University and majoring in Biochemistry.
• Amy Chan, 17, of Hunter College High School in Manhattan is a straight A student and a National Merit Finalist. She will be attending Yale University.
• June Young Kim, 18, of Roslyn High School in Long Island serves the community by volunteering at soup kitchens. He will be attending Indiana University Bloomington and majoring in Music Composition.
• Rebecca Li, 17, of Townsend Harris High School in Flushing researches characteristics of Type II Diabetes in her spare time. She will be attending Cornell University and majoring in Human Development.
• Milton Luo, 19, of Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey is a part of the National Honors Society. He will be attending SUNY Stony Brook University and majoring in Pharmacology.
• Yulin Yang, 17, of Queens High School of Science at York College volunteers with Gallop NYC, an organization that utilizes therapeutic horsemanship to help children and adults with disabilities. She will be attending Villanova University and majoring in Finance

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of the New York Tri-State Area
For over 20 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Tri-State Area has been creating, finding and supporting programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. Their signature programs include scholarships to help provide access to a college education for students who need and earn it, and community grants to support a variety of local children’s charities in the areas of medicine, crisis intervention, civic and social services, education, and the arts. The organization also provides needed support to 5 Ronald McDonald Houses, which are “homes away from home” allowing families to be with their hospitalized children for extended periods of time. For more information, please visit www.rmhcnytristate.org or contact 732-623-8639.