Horatio Alger Association Honors Two New York Executives and Philanthropists, Leon G. Cooperman and Edmund A. Hajim, Along with Four National Scholarship Recipients from the State
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2015
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Horatio Alger Association Honors Two New York Executives and Philanthropists, Leon G. Cooperman and Edmund A. Hajim, Along With Four National Scholarship Recipients from the State
Leon G. Cooperman, Edmund A. Hajim and the Scholars are recognized by the Association for their remarkable achievements in the face of adversity and their commitment to higher education
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 9, 2015) – Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a
nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, will induct New York residents Leon G. Cooperman, founder, chairman and CEO of Omega Advisors, Inc., and Edmund A. Hajim, president of Diker Management, LLC, as a lifetime Members in April. Concurrently, four outstanding New York students will be awarded the prestigious Horatio Alger National Scholarship. Association Members and Scholars are selected based on their integrity and determination to succeed in the face of significant adversity, and Members often become mentors to this future generation of leaders.
Named for renowned author Horatio Alger Jr., who wrote about the merits of honesty, courage and
perseverance as the means to success, Horatio Alger Association was established in 1947 to uphold these tenets, which are core to achieving the American Dream. To further its mission, individuals who have achieved great success despite facing significant personal challenges and who demonstrate initiative, resilience and excellence, such as Mr. Cooperman and Mr. Hajim, are inducted into the Association annually as lifetime Members.
“Like our Scholars, Association Members come from humble beginnings and have also overcome
inconceivable hardships,” said David Sokol, chairman of Horatio Alger Association. “As the first generation in his family to attend college, Mr. Cooperman’s commitment to education is inspiring. He is now chairman and CEO of a firm that manages more than $10 billion in assets. Equally, Mr. Hajim’s unmatched work ethic and continued success, despite his challenging childhood, sets a great example of perseverance for our Scholars. We are honored to welcome both of these individuals as lifetime Members.”
Since 1984, Horatio Alger Association has administered one of the nation’s largest privately funded, needbased scholarship programs, which provides educational assistance to at-risk youth with an admirable commitment to continuing their education and serving their communities. The Association has provided more than $100 million in undergraduate, graduate and specialized scholarships since 1984. The following students from New York have been recognized for their exceptional accomplishments with the 2015 Horatio Alger National Scholarship in the amount of $22,000:
– Jenzia Burgos, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, New York, NY
– Christopher Parisi, Northport Senior High School, East Northport, NY
– Sandhya Selmon, Millbrook High School, Verbank, NY
– Victor Wong, Millennium High School, New York, NY
“The 2015 National Scholars from New York are an outstanding group of young men and women who have overcome life’s challenges in tireless pursuit of higher education,” said Tony Novelly, president and CEO, Horatio Alger Association. “It is my privilege to recognize these students and provide them with the means, support and mentorship to further their education. I have every confidence that they will achieve great success throughout the course of their lives.”
Mr. Cooperman, Mr. Hajim and their fellow new Members will be formally inducted into the Association at the 68th Horatio Alger Award Induction Ceremonies in Washington, D.C. on April 9-11, 2015. The annual three-day event honors the achievements of the Members and also recognizes the 2015 Horatio Alger National Scholars, affording both groups the opportunity to meet and interact, exchanging stories of hardships, triumphs and successes.
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About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. fulfills its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. Horatio Alger Association supports students through annual undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships and mentoring programs across the United States and Canada. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $100 million in college scholarships to deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.