The Jockey Club (TJC) has selected the recipients of its five annual academic scholarships, which will be awarded for 2022-23. TJC's college scholarships total $76,000 for the upcoming academic year that begins in the fall.
“We received a deep pool of applicants for this cycle of scholarship applications and are pleased to be able to assist the five selected individuals in funding their education,” said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. “Our goal in administering these awards is to support dedicated individuals from a range of backgrounds to reach their academic and career goals.”
The Jockey Club Scholarship, which provides $15,000 to a student who is pursuing a bachelor's degree or higher at any university and has demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in the Thoroughbred industry, will go to Julia DiFiore. The veterinary student at Mississippi State University hopes to focus her practice on Thoroughbreds.
The $20,000 Jockey Club Advancement of Women in Racing Scholarship will be given to Elisabeth Carter. Carter graduated with honors from the University of Arizona in 2020 with bachelor's degrees in veterinary science and law. She will begin law school this fall, with an interest in equine regulatory law.
Autumn Charley will be awarded $20,000 The Jockey Club Vision Scholarship for students from a minority racial or ethnic group who are pursuing a career in the Thoroughbred industry. Charley is working toward her Master of Business Administration through an online program at Arizona State University while working as a racing official at tracks around the country and hopes to focus on marketing upon graduation.
The Jockey Club Benevolence Scholarship, worth $15,000, is a need-based award to enable a student to attend a full-time program at a college, university, or trade program, with preference given to children of backstretch and farm workers. The winner, high school senior Efrain Cortes, Jr., whose family works on the New York racing circuit, is interested in becoming a physical therapist.
For the third straight year, Eric DeCoster has been selected for The Jockey Club Jack Goodman Scholarship. Worth $6,000, it is awarded annually to a student enrolled in the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP). DeCoster is currently a sophomore in the RTIP and would like to pursue a career in racing operations.
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