The Hispanic Business Council Scholarship Foundation of NJ, Inc. (HBCSF), a nonprofit organization based in Bergen County, New Jersey, awarded $40,000 in scholarships and book stipend awards to 19 current college and college-bound Hispanic students at the organization’s 20th Annual Scholarship Gala, “Developing Future Leaders."

Area Bergen County students received scholarship awards ranging from $2,000-$4,000.

Gabrielle Caparimo of East Rutherford received a $3,000 scholarship. A 2011 graduate of Henry P. Becton Regional High School in East Rutherford, Ms. Caparimo will attend Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick in the fall and plans to pursue a degree in pre-medicine.

Keysi Castillo of Garfield was awarded a $3,000 scholarship. Ms. Castillo will begin her junior year at Ramapo College this fall. She is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Spanish education with minors in Latin American Studies and Italian.

These Bergen County students were recognized with a $1,000 book stipend award.

Originally from Medellin, Colombia, Sebastian Faciolince is a resident of Ridgefield Park. He currently attends Bergen Community College and is pursuing an associate degree in drafting and design technology.

Jorge Ivan Gomez Wei of Fair Lawn is pursuing an AAS degree in horticulture and an AS degree in business administration at Bergen Community College. He plans to continue his studies at Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey’s Cook College campus in the agricultural department.

The gala was the nonprofit organization’s major fundraiser of the year for scholarship support.

From 1993 to the present, HBCSF has awarded $325,500 to 120 students throughout the state.

This year’s annual gala recognized the following two honorees for their leadership and contributions to the community: Dario A. Cortes, Ph.D., President, Berkeley College and Lillian Rodríguez López, President, Hispanic Federation.

The 2011 sponsors instrumental in providing funding for this year’s scholarship and book stipend awards by platinum, gold and bronze levels are as follows. Platinum sponsors are Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and Wells Fargo Private Bank. Gold sponsors are Berkeley College, “PIX11 and Tribune Broadcasting”, Quixote Dunes, Inc., Unilever and Verizon. The bronze level sponsors are Booz | Allen | Hamilton, New Jersey Accounting Services, Inc., haute couture designer Nicolás Felizola, "Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation" represented by the Hispanic Leadership Network, Prudential, and PSE&G.

The HBCSF is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization with a mission to advance the educational aspirations of Hispanic students so that they may become professionals, leaders and valued citizens of the community.

The foundation accomplishes this by providing scholarships for a college education based on academic excellence and financial need.

The HBCSF 2012 scholarship application may be downloaded at the organization’s web site.

Donations are welcomed and may be made online or sent to HBCSF, 429C Cedar Lane #313, Teaneck, NJ.

For further information about the HBCSF, visit www.hbcsf.org or send an inquiry to info@hbscf.org.