Annual Gala

On May 14, 2012, the Jérôme Lohez 9/11 Scholarship Foundation hosted its Seventh Annual Scholarship Awards Cocktail Party, where three international students were presented with scholarships of $2,000 each. This year, also, the foundation made its first annual conferral of the Jacques Barzun Award for Distinguished Contributions to Trans-Cultural Scholarly Exchange, honoring two academic institutions for their outstanding efforts.

The party was held in the Maison Française on the campus of Columbia University. The Lohez Foundation’s board members greeted the evening’s guests, many of whom were students from the Columbia Alliance Programand also long term supporters of the Foundation. During a pre-ceremony meet-and-greet, guests were treated to a sumptuous smorgasbord of delectable party platters catered by Dean & DeLuca, accompanied by a selection of fine wines provided through a generous donation from Pernod Ricard USA. Guests socialized to the sounds of Jazz and popular standards, played by a five-piece band made up of students and recent graduates from several Metro-area universities.

Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor to the French Embassy, presided at the ceremony on behalf of the French Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency François Delattre. In remarks, Baudry explained that Ambassador Delattre, although unable to attend the occasion, maintains a strong commitment to the mission of the Lohez Foundation, which Delattre helped inaugurate as Consul General to the United States in 2005.

This year’s scholarship winners were Antoine Desir (France / Dual Degree: École Polytéchnique, Palaiseau – Columbia University), introduced by Lohez Foundation Board Member Barbara Wing; Thomas Philippeau (France / Dual Degree: École pour L’Informatique et Les Techniques Avancées – Stevens Institute of Technology), introduced by Board Member Nicole J. Moldovan; and Andres Lizcano Rodriguez (Colombia / Dual Degree: Sciences Po – Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs), a short video address by whom was introduced by Foundation VPStephane Bouniol.

In remarks, the Foundation’s founder, Ms. Dening Lohez, stressed that, “Only international exchange and education can connect people to people across boundaries, offer face-to-face engagement, across time and distance, to explore each other’s differences, and to bridge cultural divides, building mutual understanding, common values, trust, confidence, and collaboration.”

Two academic institutions were honored that night by the Jérôme Lohez Foundation with the first conferral of The Jacques Barzun Award for Distinguished Contributions to Trans-Cultural Scholarly Exchange: Sciences Po (Institut d’études politiques de Paris) and Columbia University in the City of New York.

In introductory remarks, Patrick A. Berzinski, communications consultant to the foundation, explained that, “in recognition of Dr. Jacques Barzun’s immense contributions to trans-cultural understanding and exchange between the United States and France, The Jérôme Lohez 9/11 Scholarship Foundation wishes to honor this great French-American scholar” by naming the award in his honor.

The award is to be conferred once a year upon two institutions of higher learning, one French and one American, in recognition of their shared international dual-degree programs (master’s and doctoral levels), and/or for their joint research efforts.

After a short video presentation on the early life and career of Dr. Barzun, the awards were presented.

Ms. Roxie Smith, Vice Provost of Columbia University, and Professor Louis Chauvel, a renowned sociologist who is a Sciences Po-Columbia Alliance Visiting Professor for Spring 2012, both delivered remarks in accepting the awards for their respective institutions.

Mr. Jim Walsh, Trustee, Stevens Institute of Technology; Ms. Dawn da Silva, Assistant VP for Development from Stevens; Ms. Alessia Lefebure, Director of the Alliance Program; andMs. Ann Lee, economist and author on China, were also in attendance.

Mr. Michael Tahmisyan, Mrs. Susan Kwan and Dr. Edmond Kwan were generous underwriters for the event.

Photo Credits: Beilei (Carol) Jin

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Ceremony Held at Cultural Services of the French Embassy

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Once again the Jérôme Lohez 9/11 Scholarship Foundation hosted its annual Scholarship Awards ceremony, where three young French students were presented with scholarships ranging from US$1,000 to $2,000.

The party was held on May 12, 2011, in the beautiful setting of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, located on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Around 140 guests climbed the marble staircase to be greeted by Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor to the French Embassy, who presided at the ceremony on behalf of the French Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency François Delattre.

Guests mixed and mingled around a buffet to the tunes of classical music, played by students from the Juilliard School of Music. A selection of fine wines was provided through a generous donation from Pernod Ricard USA.

The awards ceremony itself was held in the next room, with a view of Central Park. In his opening remarks, Antonin Baudry stressed that he, the Cultural Counselor, is the sole government representative of French Universities in the United States. The Jérôme Lohez Foundation’s mission is in common with that of the Embassy Cultural Services, which seeks to “connect more universities from both sides of the Atlantic, kickstart projects and help financially to initiate new collaborations.”

Major Jordan Becker, a past Jérome Lohez Foundation scholarship winner, was the presenter. The 2009 winner, currently earning a double degree at Columbia University’s SIPA and Sciences Po Paris, served in Iraq for the U.S. Army and earned two Bronze Stars.

This year’s scholarship winners were Paula Henin, a Columbia University Law School student; Hélène Franchineau, a Sciences Po Paris-Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism student, currently in Hong Kong for the South China Morning Post; and Alban Petré, student at EPITA and Stevens Institute of Technology.

This September will mark the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Dening Wu Lohez, the Lohez Foundation founder and chair, explained that her husband did not die for nothing. “In his memory, I decided to promote French-American exchange, in order to fight misunderstandings between people and foster a spirit of engagement, one that makes the human spirit move forward.”

Two academic institutions were honored that night for their continued cooperation with the Jérôme Lohez Foundation and for their distinguished efforts to promote French-American educational exchanges: L’École pour L’Informatique et les Techniques Avancées (EPITA) in Paris and Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Joël Courtois, Directeur of EPITA, and George P. Korfiatis, Provost & Interim President of Stevens Institute of Technology, both delivered remarks.

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