SEVENTH ANNUAL BNP PARIBAS OPEN SCHOLARSHIPSAWARDED TO LOCAL COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Two boys and two girls from Desert Mirage High School Each Receive $20,000 Collage Grants
BNP Paribas Celebrates 50 Years Fostering Tennis and its Social Impact for Future Generations
New York, NY / Indian Wells, CA, March 16, 2023 – BNP Paribas, Europe’s leading financial institution and a global sponsor of tennis, today announces it has awarded the seventh annual BNP Paribas Open Scholarships to Stephanie De La Rosa, Daniel Fernandez-Roles, José Hernandez-Beltran and Caitlyn Hill. from the 2023 graduating class of Desert Mirage High School in Thermal, CA. The scholarships are granted during the BNP Paribas Open as the Bank celebrates 50 years of commitment to tennis and its power to mobilize for the good of society and its youth.
Each student received a $20,000 college grant on Thursday, March 16 at a ceremony at their school and will be recognized during an on-court presentation at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, March 18. The grant will be presented to the scholars while fans watch the men’s and women’s tennis doubles final matches. As the scholars embody the future of tennis they will also participate in the trophy presentation to the tennis doubles champions.
“BNP Paribas clients trust us with their banking needs because social impact is core to our business model and because we focus on giving back to the communities where we operate. We are very proud to once again offer scholarships to tennis-playing students from the Coachella Valley as they demonstrate that success is measured not only by individual achievements but also by how those talents are used to help others,” said Jean-Yves Fillion, CEO of BNP Paribas USA.
“Congratulations to Stephanie, Daniel, José and Caitlyn who have worked so hard both on and off the court. Today, you’ve represented the future of tennis and we know you’ll bring your exceptional drive and compassion to the college arena.”
“These scholarships are a great example of BNP Paribas’ continued commitment to using their involvement with the tournament to have a positive influence on the broader community in the Coachella Valley,” said Peggy Michel, Assistant Tournament Director of the BNP Paribas Open.
“We are thrilled to offer our most sincere congratulations to the deserving recipients, and can’t wait to follow the future success of Stephanie, Daniel, José and Caitlyn both in the classroom and in their local communities.”
Stephanie is an honor roll student, has enrolled in rigorous courses like Advanced Placement (“AP”) Spanish Language and Culture, and maintains a 4.4 grade point average (“GPA”). As a member of the varsity tennis team since her freshmen year, Stephanie was recognized as ‘Most Improved Player’ and received the Coaches Award for her positive outlook and support for teammates. Stephanie has participated in extracurricular organizations including Ballet Folkloric Dance Club, the East Valley Dance Project, Aztec Dance Team, Cheer and Advanced Via Individual Determination (AVID). She also participates in Associated Student Body and volunteers in UCIC, a community nonprofit that operates food drives, mental health clinics and provides COVID resource kits. Stefanie has been awarded the Seal of Multi-literacy which began with her work in Spanish IV Honors as a freshman. She plans to study Economic Development and Public Administration and earn her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of California, Irvine.
Daniel has been enrolled in AP coursework and is an Honor Cord recipient with a 4.38 GPA. As a scholar athlete, he is on the honor roll, plays tennis and runs cross country. Daniel was recognized as ‘Most Improved Player’ for the 2022 season and became team captain in 2023 for the varsity tennis team. Daniel is an active member of clubs like Yearbook, Ballet Folkloric Dance Club, DM Productions (film club) and has been identified as a Puente scholar since his freshman year. He has also contributed volunteer hours for Coachella Inc. and participated in community service activities like trash pickup. He hopes to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, so he can create spaces for people in need of mental rehabilitation.
José currently has a 4.5 GPA and is an Honor Cord recipient who is consistently on the honor roll with perfect school attendance. He also received his AP Readiness Certificate. José has enjoyed being a member of his school tennis team since his freshman year as the sport helps him practice a growth mindset. He is a member of the Coachella Valley Youth Organizing Council, worked as an intern for the ‘Dr. Raul Ruiz for Congress’ campaign and participates in the 4th District Youth Advocacy Coalition. José has been awarded the Riverside County Seal of Multiliteracy and is well recognized for his leadership skills and ability to apply school lessons to real-life applications. He plans to pursue a Mechanical Engineering degree at the College of the Desert so he can continue to serve his community.
Caitlyn is an honor roll student since her freshman year and maintains a 4.5 GPA. She also received the prestigious AP Scholar Award and the Seal of Multiliteracy. Caitlyn is the captain of her high school varsity tennis team and named the Desert Valley League’s Most Valuable Player in Tennis Singles. She is the first-ever Student Trustee on the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Education and was recognized for her service with a Proclamation of Leadership from Riverside County Office of Education. Caitlyn is a leader in her school through roles like Puente Program President, Associated Student Body Executive President, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan Movimiento Minister of Information and Eastern Valley Surf Club Treasurer. In addition, Caitlyn volunteers her time for children’s events at Mecca Library and Animal Samaritans Critter Camp. Caitlyn recently received the Puente Statewide Academic Leadership Award which is given to only one student per school. She plans to attend the University of California, Irvine to become an aerospace engineer.
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Robert.Madden@us.bnpparibas.com
BNP PARIBAS OPEN
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About the BNP Paribas Open
The BNP Paribas Open is the largest combined ATP Tour Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tennis event in the world. The BNP Paribas Open has been named Tournament of the Year by both the WTA and the ATP Tour for a record-setting eight years. The 2023 BNP Paribas Open will be held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 6 – 19, 2023.
BNP Paribas Championing Tomorrow’s Tennis for 50 years
For 50 years, our history and actions have demonstrated how tennis has the capacity to mobilize people beyond the sport and have a social impact, especially for younger generations. We believe that tennis is bigger when it is inclusive and focused on youth. That is why, on 50th anniversary of our loyalty to the sport and commitment to its social impact since inception, we will highlight how tennis has the power to inspire players and fans for the good of society and its youth.
About BNP Paribas & Tennis
BNP Paribas is one of the major worldwide partners to tennis, with an unrivalled commitment to sport, going back to 1973. The Group’s support covers all levels and dimensions of the game all over the world, including singles, doubles, team tennis, wheelchair tennis and family tennis, ranging from beginners’ training to top professional tournaments:
- Professional Tennis: Official sponsor of the French Open at Roland-Garros; title sponsor of three ATP Masters 1000 tournaments – the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, the Internazionali BNL d’Italia (Italian Open) in Rome; partner to the Open 13 (Marseille), the Open Parc de Lyon Open, the Metz Moselle Open, Queens Championships ; TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open, BNP Paribas Poland Open
- Wheelchair Tennis: BNP Paribas World Team Cup; French Riviera Open; WJP Challenge Tennis, Swiss Open Genève
- Junior & University Tennis and Academies: Master’U BNP Paribas
- Amateur Tennis: Sponsors of the BNP Paribas Family Trophy; also supporting over 1,000 amateur tournaments around the world
- The younger generations: BNP Paribas supports over 130 deserving young tennis and wheelchair tennis players, through its ‘Team BNP Paribas Young Talents’ programs in France (with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and the French Tennis Federation), the United States (with John and Patrick McEnroe), Italy, Belgium, Poland and Canada; also partner of the Roland-Garros ball-kids selections for over 20 years
- Solidarity Tennis: Supporting a number of original tennis related social engagement projects, through partnerships with more than 20 national tennis federations and dozens of tennis-based charity organisations: ‘#FAAPointsForChange‘ with Felix Auger-Aliassime; ‘Fête le Mur’ with Yannick Noah; the ‘Aces Du Cœur‘ charity program for hospitalized children; the ‘Sound of Tennis‘ initiative for visually impaired athletes in the United States; the Israel Wheelchair Tennis Project…;
- Tennis e-sport: ‘Roland-Garros e-Series by BNP Paribas’, an e-sport tournament played all over the world as part of the ‘Tennis World Tour’ video game
- Employee tennis: the ‘BNP Paribas We Are Tennis Cup’ is one of the largest global employee tennis tournaments in the world (3,500 participants each year)
Having entered into all these partnerships, in 2011 BNP Paribas set up a program called ‘We Are Tennis’, with the purpose to promote interest in the game of tennis all over the world. The wearetennis.com website and its social network accounts bring together a community of tennis lovers and dedicated fans from all continents who are keen to obtain the latest news from the ATP, WTA and ITF circuits. Furthermore, in 2015 BNP Paribas created the ‘We Are Tennis Fan Academy’, which enables fans to express their passion for tennis as never before.
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is the European Union’s leading bank and key player in international banking. It operates in 65 countries and has more than 190,000 employees, including nearly 145,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity: Retail Banking for the Group’s retail-banking networks and several specialized businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realize their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance.
In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model across several Mediterranean countries, Turkey, Eastern Europe as well as via a large network in the western part of the United States. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific.
BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group’s performance and stability.