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Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. and WNBA Announce Third Annual Inspiring Women Gold Standard Scholarship Award

September 10, 2012 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2012 - For the third consecutive year, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. have awarded two students each with a $15,000 scholarship at the league's seventh annual WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon which took place in New York City on Monday, Sept. 10.

Ariana Ochoa Camacho of New York, N.Y., and Essence Scott of Waterbury, Conn., were selected by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, respectively, as recipients of the Inspiring Women Gold Standard Scholarship Award.

"BACARD: is proud to collaborate with the WNBA, The Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund to provide an opportunity for deserving female students to access their dreams of higher education," said Toby Whitmoyer, vice president, brand managing director, BACARDI rum. "Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. congratulates Ariana Ochoa Camacho and Essence Scott on their exceptional academic achievements and community service."

"This year's Inspiring Women Luncheon is celebrating Champions of Achievement," said WNBA President Laurel J. Richie. "Through our partnership with Bacardi U.S.A., Inc., we honored women who remind us that achievement is not just about trophies and medals; it is, at its core about using one's gifts to make a positive impact on the world."

Ariana Ochoa Camacho is a Ph.D. student at NYU. She has previously received a BA in Anthropology from Kenyon College and a graduate degree from San Francisco State University. Ariana's current research focuses on cultural dominance, race, gender and sexuality in the experiences of Latina/o immigrants. She has also spent time in the past focusing on environmental justice issues at a non-profit, and is also active in her community, most notably volunteering with Domestic Workers United where her work as a translator to support Spanish-speaking women has helped them be able to tell their stories of exploitation and abuse as Domestic Workers to legislators.

Essence Scott is a senior at Virginia State University (VSU) majoring in Psychology. She is active in her college community through various organizations including the Psi Chi International Honor Society, VSU Gospel Chorale, Psychology Club and Circle K Kiwanis International, and is also a Provost and TMCF scholar. Essence also served as an intern for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Social and Behavioral Research and Evaluation Branch during the summer of 2012. Upon graduation, Essence plans to enter a graduate program in clinical psychology and neuroscience as a stepping stone to her career as a clinical psychologist specializing in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in the African American community.

This Inspiring Women Gold Standard Scholarship Award was created to recognize adult leaders from the African American and Hispanic communities in the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut), who excel in the classroom, are leaders in the community, and exemplify the values of volunteerism and service.

Last year, Ariel Roberts of Chicago, Ill. and Blanca Martinez of Bronx, N.Y. were each awarded scholarships as part of the 2011 WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon. The Inspiring Women Gold Standard Scholarship Award is conducted in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

The seventh annual WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon was attended by more than 300 leaders from the worlds of entertainment, sports, business, and politics. At the luncheon, the league presented women of Team USA with the 2012 WNBA Inspiration Award, which celebrates individuals who show the world what is possible. Past honorees include United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, journalist Katie Couric, Good Morning America's Robin Roberts, and political commentator Cokie Roberts.

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