Winner of the Annual $5,000 DRI Foundation Undergrad Scholarship Announced!

New York, NY, June 17 - Today, DRI International, the world's foremost business continuity and disaster recovery certification and education nonprofit organization, announced the winner of the 2016 DRI Foundation scholarship award for a current undergraduate student. The winner, Katia Hamamouche, was chosen out of a pool of eligible applicants and will receive a $5,000 scholarship. The winner of the high school senior $5,000 scholarship will be announced on July 1.

The scholarship, made possible by the generosity of DRI International and DRI Canada, was open to both U.S. and Canadian students enrolled in a 4-year undergraduate program for the upcoming fall semester. Applicants were judged based on a list of submission criteria, including academics, extracurricular activities, volunteerism, and an essay on campus violence. To qualify, the applicant's parent or legal guardian had to be a DRI International Certified Professional in good standing.

"Campus violence is a very real concern, which is why we asked our undergraduate scholarship applicants to address the issue, sharing their experiences, perceptions, insights, and ideas. Katia did so eloquently and effectively," said DRI Foundation Chair AnneMarie Staley. "Katia's winning essay provided perspective and solid advice gleaned from her role as a Resident Assistant as well as what she has learned as the daughter of a continuity professional. I congratulate Katia and am sure the students of this future teacher will be well-educated on crisis response."

Hamamouche will be a senior at Alma College in Alma, Michigan in the fall, with a 3.89 GPA. She is from Carmel, Indiana and is majoring in elementary education. Hamamouche has an impressive academic record, as well as extensive volunteer experience. She is currently in Ghana, where she is helping to establish a school and teach English for the summer. "I challenge myself to do one thing every year that is way out of my comfort zone," she said of the Ghana trip. "This is it! I don't like planes, but once I get there, I'll be fine!" Of her win, Hamamouche said, "This is great! It helps so much, and I'm so thankful to DRI. It really means a lot to me."

Hamamouche is the daughter of Michelle Hamamouche, a DRI Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), who BCP Global Lead for RCI, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. "We're were thrilled to get the news and are very grateful," she said.

To read the winning essay, visit: https://thedrifoundation.org/2016/06/17/dri-foundation-2016-undergrad-scholarship-read-the-winning-essay

About the DRI Foundation
The Disaster Recovery International Foundation has a vision of resilient communities worldwide. We pursue that vision through promoting disaster risk reduction through partnership and education as well as aiding recovery efforts through fundraising and volunteerism. As a registered 501(c)3 corporation, the DRI Foundation serves as the charitable arm of DRI International.

About DRI International
Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI) is the leading nonprofit that helps organizations around the world prepare for and recover from disasters by providing education, accreditation, and thought leadership in business continuity and related fields. Founded in 1988, DRI International has 14,000+ certified professionals in more than 100 countries and conducts native-language training in more than 50 countries, offering in-depth courses ranging from introductory to masters level, as well as specialty certifications. The organization's annual DRI Conference brings together leading business continuity professionals from both the public and private sector to share best practices and participate in continuing education and volunteerism. Through its Collegiate Conferences series, DRI is partnering with universities to introduce students and faculty to this rapidly-growing field. As a recognized expert resource, DRI acts in an advisory capacity to international organizations and government institutions worldwide, helping to create industry standards and promote greater resiliency through public-private partnerships. DRI is a member of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction's (UNISDR) Private Sector Partnership (PSP) Working Group on disaster risk reduction and is also an ANSI-accredited Standards Development Organization.