New Recipients of the Achi Racov Program for Academic Excellence Announced: Second-Year Participants Rewarded
January 2010
The Jerusalem College of Engineering (JCE) aims to promote and reward academic achievement through the Achi Racov Program for Academic Excellence. Participants in this program consist of a select group of students with the highest academic achievements.
With strict admissions requirements for entering the program, including high entrance requirements, maintaining a high GPA and a personal interview, students in the program have the opportunity to broaden their horizons by receiving academic mentoring by senior staff and participating in courses open only to members of the group. Students can participate in national and international scientific conferences already in their junior year. Accepted students receive a full scholarship for the duration of the program. At the end of their first year in the program, each participant is rewarded with a laptop.
On January 28th, 2010, four students who joined the program last year, Rachel Ben-Amram, 3rd year student in Pharmaceutical Engineering; Michal Pinto, 2nd year student in Pharmaceutical Engineering; Chana Turner, 3rd year student in Software Engineering; and Maya Weber, 3rd year student in Pharmaceutical Engineering received their laptops.
In addition, the following new scholarship recipients were announced: Shiran Hason, 2nd year student in Software Engineering; Naftali Hershkoviz, 1st year student in Software Engineering; Noam Ralbag, 1st year student in Advanced Materials Engineering; David Rubinshtein, 2nd year student in Advanced Materials Engineering; and Uriel Vaknin, 2nd year student in Advanced Materials Engineering.
The Program for Academic Excellence is being generously supported by the Achi Ezer Fund. The Achi Ezer Fund was founded in loving memory of Achi Racov, after his passing in 2002. Achi Racov was an erudite scholar interested in computer science, software engineering, new technologies, research on the human brain and biotechnology. He was a consultant for various large organizations worldwide, governments and world leaders, regarding their strategic development, mainly its technological aspects. He constantly made sure to learn more about his passions: theatre, opera and wine, in addition to being continuously updated about the latest developments in computer science and software.
Achi Racov won prizes, received awards, and became a Professor in Neuroscience, all of which attest to his outstanding international achievements. “The Achi Ezer Fund supports organizations that strive to inform, excel and lead,” says Yael Racov, the late Achi Racov’s wife and co-manager of the Fund, “and The Jerusalem College of Engineering’s Scholarship Program for Academic Excellence falls directly under that criteria.”
At the event on January 28th, recipients of the scholarship, JCE faculty and representatives from the Achi Ezer Fund gathered together. Each student spoke about their area of interest, including what they hope to research as a final project: topics ranged from quantum physics to aeronautics and protein isolation. After speaking about her interests, student Shiran Hason addressed JCE’s faculty and the Achi Ezer Fund representatives and said: “I always walk by a sign at the entrance to the College which states that ‘success doesn’t come to you, you go to it.’ This program reflects that statement. We put in great effort in succeeding, and you are helping us make it happen.”
From left to right: Yael Racov, co-manager of the Achi Ezer Fund, Rachel Ben-Amram, Maya Weber, Michal Pinto, Chana Turner, IDI President Uzi Wexler, and Ronnie Vinkler, co-manager of the Achi Ezer Fund.