Ten local young women were recognized yesterday at the Emily Couric Leadership Forum. At a luncheon held at the Omni Hotel, the Forum provided a record $71,000 in scholarships to these student leaders.
Jessie Press-Williams was honored with the 12th Annual Emily Couric Leadership Scholarship for $30,000, the highest amount ever given for this award. She is the president of Charlottesville High School’s debate team and the winner of a State Department summer scholarship.
Nine other local students received $4,000 each in scholarship funds.
The Emily Couric Women’s Leadership Award was given to journalist Maureen Orth, who writes for Newsweek and Vanity Fair. Her website can be found here.
"I’m humbled in front of these young women," Orth told NBC29. "I mean, my God, I was a cheerleader in high school. I could never have competed with them."
Click here for more information on the Forum.