2017 Oakwood Worldwide HFR Scholarship Winners and Associate Parents — Photo by Oakwood
Oakwood Worldwide

LOS ANGELES – Oakwood Worldwide®, the global leader in furnished and serviced apartments, is pleased to award Howard F. Ruby scholarships to six dedicated and exemplary students for the 2017/2018 school year, which may be renewed annually for up to four years. The program, named after the company's founder, has awarded more than $168,500 in scholarships to children of Oakwood Worldwide associates.

This year's recipients are:

  • Steven Orciuoli, from Livingston, N.J., was awarded a $6,000 scholarship;
  • Lauren Overbo, from San Diego was awarded a $3,000 scholarship;
  • Hannah Maier, from Malibu, Calif., was awarded a $1,500 scholarship; and
  • Edgar Pimentel, from Lynn, Mass., was awarded a $1,500 scholarship.

In addition to these scholarships, the selection committee was so impressed with the caliber of the applications received, they selected two additional applicants,Daniel Maier, from Malibu, Calif., and Parker Acevedo, from Northridge, Calif., to each receive one-time bursary awards of $750 for the 2017-2018 school year. The committee also renewed scholarships for eligible past honorees based on current grades.

"The Howard F. Ruby Scholarship program is a wonderful way to honor our founder and recognize the scholastic achievement of our associates' children," said Chris Ahearn, CEO, Oakwood Worldwide. "The students we selected for these scholarships and awards exhibit a strong work ethic demonstrated by their ability to achieve high grades while balancing challenging class schedules and a wide variety of extracurricular and volunteer activities. I know their parents are proud of their accomplishments and their extended Oakwood Worldwide family celebrates them as well."

Steven Orciuoli is a recent graduate of Livingston High School and will be entering Texas A&M University in the fall where he will major in mechanical engineering. His long-term ambition is to become a Navy SEAL. In preparation for that vocation, he constantly challenges himself academically and athletically. Additionally, he has joined the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps where he is a Petty Officer 1st Class and a company leader. Steven has a passion for robotics, participating on his school's robotics and academic team and winning the FIRST Technology Robotics state, national and world championship. He also founded the FAWKES Robotics team that enables students not selected for the school's team to still pursue their interest in science and technology.

Lauren Overbo recently graduated from Westview High School and will be attending Santa Barbara City College majoring in Communications with the intention of transferring to the University of California Santa Barbara after two years. In addition to excelling in academics, Lauren spent all four years of high school on the associated student body (ASB) leadership, serving as Freshman Class President, Sophomore Class President, Overall ASB Vice President and Overall ASB Treasurer. She was also an active volunteer with Feeding America and was the statistics keeper for her school's varsity soccer team her junior and senior years. Her long-term goal is to build a career in the music business.

Edgar Pimentel is a 2017 graduate of St. Mary's High School and he is headed to the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the fall. His ultimate goal is to become a cardiologist. In addition to his strong academic accomplishments both in high school and in taking several classes at his local community college, Edgar has been volunteering at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, helping senior citizens at the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center and assisting patients with multiple sclerosis at the Boston Home nursing center. He would eventually like to lend his skills to Doctors Without Borders, an organization that provides medical care to third-world countries.

Hannah Maier recently graduated from Malibu High School and will be attending the University of Washington in the fall. She excelled in academics earning Academic All-League and the Golden State Seal Merit Award from the California Scholarship Federation all four years in high school. In addition to her academic success, Hannah was heavily involved in sports, clubs, volunteer work and other extracurricular activities. Some of the most impactful experiences for her in high school were becoming a yearbook photographer and eventually being named assistant editor of the yearbook; volunteering at her local animal shelter; volunteering with Baja Builds, which builds housing for impoverished families in Tijuana, Mexico; and being selected for the Every 15 Minutes leadership program. In college she plans to continue her community involvement and focus on helping to reduce global poverty by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.

Recipients of the Howard F. Ruby scholarship awards are recognized for academic achievement and community involvement through volunteer work in the areas of health and human services, education, arts and culture, civic life, community service and environmental preservation.

About Oakwood

Oakwood®, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mapletree Investments, is a global leader in hospitality management and development. The company manages a portfolio of award-winning properties that combine the space and comfort of a private residence with the thoughtful services and amenities of a hotel, ideal for both short- and long-term stays. Through this specially crafted Oakwood experience, guests are invited to feel a sense of belonging, familiarity and reassurance whenever they stay at any Oakwood property around the world. For more information, please visit www.Oakwood.com.

Pam Krebs
Director, Global Communications
(310) 444-2552
Oakwood