In the days surrounding Yonkers Raceway's signature event, the Yonkers Trot, the Standardbred Owners Association of New York proudly presented two superior college students with the Association's 2011-2012 Scholarship

Awards.

The $5,000 scholarship winner, Christine Miecuna, has just completed her third year of study at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Miecuna completed her spring semester abroad at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. She majors in Management, with concentrations in Accounting and Marketing. Miecuna is currently on the Dean’s List and is a Golden Key Honor Society Member.

The $3,000 scholarship winner, Kelly Finnigan, is currently attending the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida where she is on the Dean’s List, has been inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and the UCF’s Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society. Finnigan’s goal is to become a medical researcher.

The SOA Scholarship Committee is chaired by director Bob MacDougall. The committee consists of directors Bob Barbiere, Stephane Bouchard, John Brennan, Henry Gargiulo, Sandra Kaufman, Ray Schnittker, president Joseph Faraldo and Ed Ryan, Yonkers Track superintendent.

In the absence of MacDougall who is presently out of town, Faraldo stated, "I laud Chairman MacDougall and the entire committee for their tremendous work in analyzing the submissions of all of the worthy applicants and identifying the two students most deserving on the basis of multiple criteria."

The annual SOA scholarships are awarded to SOA members, or members of their immediate families, or to covered individuals (backstretch personnel) or a member of their immediate families, for study beyond the high school level. The recipients are chosen on the basis of merit and financial need.

(SOANY)