Crowley Scholarship Helps Puerto Rican Student Pursue a College Education

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Years of studying and dedication are paying off for 17-year-old Coraly Lopez Ortiz, who has begun her first year of college at University of Puerto Rico (UPR), thanks in part to the support of Crowley Maritime Corporation, which recently awarded her with its 2012 Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship.

Ortiz, whose parents’ medical ailments have kept them from working since 2010, proved to be a worthy recipient of this prestigious award due to her strong academic record and commitment to pursuing an education despite tough financial circumstances.

“We have had to cut down on expenses but education has always been a priority in my family,” said Ortiz in her scholarship application.

She recently graduated from Casiano Cepeda High School in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, where she attended the school’s commercial education vocational program and volunteered tutoring her peers in a variety of subjects after school.

"We are extremely pleased to not only recognize students like Coraly, but to encourage academic excellence among all Puerto Rican students, regardless of what hardships they may endure. Her story is a great example of how they can overcome those obstacles and achieve their goals," said Jose Ayala, vice president of Puerto Rico services for Crowley.

Ortiz is pursuing a degree in business administration and credits the scholarship for granting her the funds to allow her to focus on her studies and continue tutoring her peers.

She is one of more than 275 students in the U.S., Alaska, Puerto Rico and Central America to receive a Crowley Scholarship since 1984. Crowley has also donated more than $2 million over the years to support other educational programs.

In 1994, Crowley Chairman, President and CEO, Tom Crowley Jr., established the Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship Program, in honor of his father, who guided the company to extraordinary heights before passing away in 1994. The company continues to give scholarship dollars to deserving students.