May 14, 2004 -- Yeshiva University’s annual reception honoring donors of undergraduate scholarships took place on Thursday, April 29. Held at the Beren Campus in the Ivry Student Center/Bet Knesset Ateret Rivka, more than 65 donors and students attended the reception, nearly twice as many as last year’s event.

Sounds of lively conversation quickly filled the room as students met the individuals supporting their education and shared with them their enthusiasm for their classes, extracurricular activities, teachers and friends, as well as their appreciation for their scholarship. Donors recounted their affiliations with YU and answered dozens of questions from students eager to learn more about them.

After an introduction from Mrs. Marjorie Diener Blenden, chairman of the Stern College Board of Directors and whose family established the Beatrice Diener Scholarship, President Richard M. Joel offered remarks and introduced two student speakers, Elysia Rothenberg SCW ’04, and Etan Bednarsh YC ’05.

Ms. Rothenberg, recipient of the Zara Jakubovitz Silver Scholarship and one of the first participants in the university’s new Graduate Fellows program, spoke about the wide variety of opportunities open to Stern College students.

Mr. Bednarsh, a recipient of the Olga Gruss Lewin Scholarship, said, “What you do with your money matters. So thank you for your help, thank you for doing something that matters, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to attend school here – so that we can do things that matter as well.”