BNP PARIBAS ANNOUNCES CREATION OF ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS
FOR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS PLAYERS
Inaugural Recipients From Coachella Valley High School;
Each To Receive $15,000 And Be Honored At Tournament On Saturday
BNP Paribas, a global leader in supporting both amateur and professional tennis, has announced the creation of annual scholarships that will be awarded to one female and male tennis player from a local high school, and be presented at the BNP Paribas Open, the largest WTA and ATP World Tour combined two-week event in the world. The inaugural recipients – Brianda Beltran and Miguel Alvarez – are from Coachella Valley High School, and will each receive a one-year, $15,000 college scholarship.
“BNP Paribas is thrilled to present these two outstanding students with these scholarships,” said Jean Yves-Fillion, CEO of BNP Paribas North America. “Miguel and Brianda have shown incredible dedication to both their education and the sport of tennis, and we are proud to help them as they take the next steps in what are sure to be very bright futures.”
Beltran, who first began playing tennis as a junior in high school, hopes to attend the University of California, Irvine in the fall as a psychology major. Her goal is to bring open-mindedness and diversity to the local Coachella Valley community. Beltran hopes to complete her undergraduate degree at UC-Irvine, earn a master’s degree and become a social worker in the Valley.
Alvarez served as Junior Class President at Coachella Valley High School and founded his school’s chapter of National Honor Society, in addition to his role on the tennis team. He hopes to attend the University of Southern California in the fall and enroll in the World Bachelor of Business Program. Alvarez plans to one day own a business and give back to others in the Valley communities.
In recognition of their achievements, Beltran and Alvarez will be honored on court this Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open.
“These scholarships are a great example of BNP Paribas’ using their involvement with the tournament to have a positive influence on the broader community in the Coachella Valley,” said Moore. “We are sure that these generous scholarships will help Brianda and Miguel to fulfill their future goals, as well as many deserving recipients in years to come.”
Over and above BNP Paribas’ partnerships at all levels of the game, BNP Paribas’ commitment to the sport of tennis is also reflected in a wide range of social and education activities across the tennis world, including the “We are Tennis Solidaire” program, and closer to home, as sponsor of the CityParks Tennis program in New York. Beyond the sphere of tennis, BNP Paribas has been engaged in major philanthropy initiatives for 30 years through its Foundation, focusing its activities on three main areas: the Arts, Social Inclusion and the Environment – giving over 40m Euros a year.
For more information, and to purchase tickets to remaining sessions, visit www.bnpparibasopen.com, call 800-999-1585 or 760-200-8000, or visit the box office at 78-200 Miles Avenue, Indian Wells, CA, 92210.
About the BNP Paribas Open
The BNP Paribas Open is the largest ATP World Tour and WTA combined two-week event in the world, and is held annually at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The site underwent a significant expansion in 2014 that included a new permanent Stadium 2 with 8,000 seats and three restaurants, including world-renowned Nobu; practice courts for a total of 20 on-site, public Wi-Fi and more. The tournament offers more than $10 million in prize money, and is the only event to provide the Hawkeye line challenge system on all match courts, including qualifying rounds. In 2015, more than 456,000 people attended the event. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.bnpparibasopen.com, call 800-999-1585 or visit the Indian Wells Tennis Garden box office at 78-200 Miles Avenue, Indian Wells, CA, 92210.
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas has operations in 75 countries and boasts more than 185,000 employees, including approximately 145,000 in Europe. It ranks highly in its two core activities: Retail Banking & Services (comprised of Domestic Markets and International Financial Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail banking model across Mediterranean basin countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas and solid and fast-growing businesses in Asia-Pacific.
Topics: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells Tennis, Tennis News