Distracted Driving Prevention Scholarship Award Winners
The Whitley Law Firm Distracted Driving Prevention Scholarship was established to help address the prevalence of distracted driving on our roadways. The following are our award winners who we believe put forth the strongest claims to preventing driving while distracted. For more information on this annual scholarship and how to apply for the next academic year, visit here.
2017 Award Winner: Carolina Bortolleto
The Whitley Law Firm is proud to announce Carolina Bortolleto as our 2017 award winner. As a Brazil native, Carolina first moved the United States at the age of nine with her family, where she eventually studied at Western Connecticut State University graduating in 2010 with a BA in Biology with minors in International Studies and Anthropology. In addition to her education, Carolina has been an active leader in the immigrant youth movement, co-founding Connecticut Students for a DREAM, a statewide organization of young adults that work for the rights of undocumented youth and their families. While previously serving as the College Access Program Coordinator, Caroline now serves as the Communications and Grant Manager and has dedicated the last seven years to fighting for marginalized communities in Connecticut.
Carolina is now currently pursuing a Masters of Public Health at George Washington University in Global Health/Maternal and Child Health where her ultimate goal is to advance the Sustainable Development Goal of improving maternal health. According to Carolina, “there is nothing more empowering than when the disenfranchised find their voice.” She believes she has found her voice and now wants to help others do the same.
Carolina’s reaction to being the first scholarship award winner:
“When I got the phone call that I received the Whitley Law Firm Distracted Driving Scholarship, I was ecstatic, very surprised, and grateful. I did not expect to receive the scholarship. It comes at a very needed time for me. I have been pursuing my MPH since fall 2014 – and have only been able to be full time one semester due to financial issues. I have overcome many obstacles to pursue my education, including taking a leave of absence for one year when I was hospitalized for 8 months due to a serious medical issue. But now, I am more determined than ever to finish my degree. This scholarship will allow me to be a full time student this coming fall and be well on my way to finishing my MPH.”
