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$40k Amazon Future Engineers Scholarships awarded to 2 SHA Seniors

PRESS RELEASE 
Sacred Heart Academy
April 25, 2023
 
Two Sacred Heart Academy seniors win $40,000 Scholarships from Amazon 
Shadia Suha and Hilary Rojas Rosales, both seniors at Sacred Heart Academy, were named as winners of the $40,000 Amazon Future Engineer (AFE) Scholarship for 2023 with paid summer internships at Amazon.
 
amazon award winner
Pictured:  Shadia Suha, SHA ’23 and S. Jean Amore, CSJ, Ed.D., Principal of Sacred Heart Academy
 
amazon award winner
Pictured:  Hilary Rojas Rosales, SHA ’23 and S. Jean Amore, CSJ, Ed.D., Principal of Sacred Heart Academy
 
Two Sacred Heart Academy seniors win $40,000 Scholarships from Amazon 
 
Not all Amazon packages are created equal. Just ask Hilary Rojas Rosales, ‘23 and Shadia Suha, ’23, seniors at Sacred Heart Academy (SHA) in Hempstead, New York. Returning home from school one afternoon, both young women were surprised to open an Amazon package naming them as recipients of the 2023 Amazon Future Engineer (AFE) Scholarship--- a $40,000 tuition scholarship ($10,000/year) toward an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science. They also were offered a guaranteed, paid 12-week summer internship at Amazon after completing their freshman year of college.
 
While working at Amazon, AFE interns work on a software or hardware engineering team and pair up with a co-intern, manager, and mentors to build projects that have a real impact on Amazon customers. Interns get to work on some of Amazon’s groundbreaking technologies and core platforms, like Alexa voice technology, Amazon Web Services, and the Amazon retail platform. 
 
Hilary, a Hempstead resident, has always had a passion for computer science and plans to attend SUNY Binghamton’s Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science in fall 2023. Aside from the challenging science and research program, Hilary says that she has made new friends every single year at SHA and is quick to point out that she still finds time to take care of two parakeets, Bella, and Jacob. Hillary and 2 teammates will compete at an upcoming Hackathon at St. John’s University on April 29th. 

Shadia, a West Hempstead resident, also cites the lifelong friendships that she has made at Sacred Heart and says that the research she was able to do at SHA through the Brookhaven National Laboratories reinforced her passion for the study of medicine through engineering and robotics. She plays violin, piano and guitar for fun.

Sister Jean Amore, CSJ, Ed. D, principal at Sacred Heart, shared that: 

“Not only are Shadia and Hilary intelligent, hardworking young scholars, they lead with compassion, courage, and commitment. Sacred Heart Academy is so proud of them.” 
 
Sacred Heart Academy’s focus in science and math prepares students to apply their scientific knowledge to real-world challenges. Both young women have spent a great deal of time in the Science Research Center at Sacred Heart Academy, a state-of-the-art facility, designed specifically for student-developed research projects. 

Amazon Scholarship recipients applied for the opportunity and were selected based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, community involvement, work experience, future goals, and financial need. Amazon surprised four hundred students with news of the award. In addition to their project work, Amazon Future Engineer interns get exposure to the Amazon business through fireside chats with senior leaders, deep dives from technology teams, and an annual Alexa skills-building hackathon.

"Every year, I continue to be inspired by our scholarship recipients’ academic achievements and drive to use their problem-solving abilities to build solutions for their communities,” said Victor Reinoso, global director of Philanthropic Education Initiatives at Amazon. “With students from historically underrepresented and underserved communities representing only 18% of CS [computer science] bachelor’s degrees, we believe that connecting students to computer science education and opportunities helps create a more equitable and inclusive future, across all industries and sectors, for generations to come."

The future is extremely bright for Hilary, Shadia, and their classmates. The entire SHA community is very proud of all they have accomplished.
 
ABOUT SACRED HEART ACADEMY

Sacred Heart Academy (SHA) is an all-girls Catholic college preparatory school sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Founded in 1949, SHA has over 12,000 alumnae who live and work around the world. Current students come from over forty school districts. Graduates go on to recognized top-tier colleges and universities, receiving significant academic and athletic scholarship offerings each year. 
Sacred Heart Academy combines rigorous academics with leadership opportunities that foster the values of courage, commitment, and compassion. Lead with Heart is the essence of the Sacred Heart Academy experience. 
 
Media Contact:

Jacquelyn Nealon, Ed.D. 
Executive Director of Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
516.483.7383 x331
www.sacredheartacademyli.org