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GIA Creates the Tawfic Farah Memorial Scholarship

Jan 14, 2014 12:35 PM   By GIA
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Press Release: The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) announced the Tawfic Farah Memorial Scholarship, which will be offered beginning June 15, 2014. The annual scholarship will award full tuition for an on-campus student to pursue his or her  Graduate Gemologist (GG) diploma, including the required diamond grading, colored stone grading and gem identification lab classes. The first scholarship will be for a student at GIA’s campus in Mumbai and will rotate throughout GIA’s global campuses in subsequent years. The application period each year will run through October 31 and is available on GIA’s website at gia.edu/scholarships.

Tawfic Farah, GIA’s vice president of international operations who passed away in May 2013, made a lasting and important contribution to the Institute’s mission by building strong relationships in Africa and the Middle East, working tirelessly to expand education and beneficiation efforts in Africa and supporting the global expansion of GIA’s services. He served GIA and the global public for 10 years with a passion and drive bolstered by humor and compassion.

“Tawfic helped countless people, both students and members of the trade, by working to bring GIA’s education programs to communities involved in the gem and jewelry industry throughout the world. He helped build GIA’s relationships with governments and to create opportunities and choices where few had previously existed,” said Susan Jacques, GIA’s president and CEO. “In keeping with the vision Tawfic gifted to GIA, we honor him in a way that reflects his personal passion and continues the great contributions he made to the communities that are part of our industry. His always positive and effervescent presence will be greatly missed.”

In January 2014, the Institute awarded its fall 2013 scholarships to 151 students in 29 countries. The scholarships, totaling more than $500,000, align with GIA’s goals of providing quality education in gemology and jewelry to the trade and aspiring professionals. Supported by private donors and the GIA endowment fund, these scholarships supplement GIA’s wider scope of offerings. Recipients are eligible to participate in distance education elearning courses and on-campus classes in Bangkok, Carlsbad, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Taiwan and at the GIA branch in Dubai. 

In 2013, GIA awarded nearly $600,000 in scholarships to 190 students throughout the world.

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Tags: education, gemology, GIA, scholarships
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