Celebrations with Students, Families and Local Leaders held in each of the 5 cities

Boston – July 31, 2023, Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), operating partner for the MBTA Commuter Rail, announced today that it has awarded a total of $25,000 in scholarships to 25 local students as part of the 2023 Keolis Scholars program. The twenty-five students were selected from 5 cities in the Commuter Rail service area: Boston, Brockton, Lawrence, Lynn, and Worcester. The students can use the $1,000 gift to help pay for post-secondary education or job training. Each academic year, Keolis works with the municipal school districts with large populations of underserved communities and first-generation families to select the Keolis Scholars and distribute the awards, which were based on both merit and financial need. Since the program was launched in 2015, Keolis has granted $225,000 in scholarships to students in the Commonwealth.  

Throughout the month of July, Keolis leaders have joined local elected officials in celebrating the achievements of the students who received the scholarship awards. Celebrations were held at Boston, Brockton, Lawrence, Lynn and Worcester City Halls.  

“I greatly enjoyed celebrating the achievements of the Keolis Scholars with their families, friends and local leaders in each of the 5 cities,” said Abdellah Chajai, CEO and General Manager of Keolis Commuter Services. “Congratulations to the students who have been chosen as recipients for their achievements and contributions during high school. At Keolis, we are committed to partnering with the communities we serve to create opportunities and support the next generation of leaders."  

“I want to thank Keolis Commuter Services for inviting me to be a part of this important celebration and for going beyond just providing fast, reliable transportation to investing and creating opportunities for our young people,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “[To the Boston recipients,] congratulations on being this year’s Boston Keolis Scholars! I know that all of you will not only find success but make a lasting impact on the community around you in this next chapter.” 

"The Keolis scholars represent what it means to be a champion,” said Mayor Robert F. Sullivan. “By doing their due diligence to take advantage of opportunities and their perseverance to overcome substantial obstacles like the pandemic, these young people have achieved excellence and are being rewarded with these generous scholarships. The “City of Champions” is very proud of them, and we wish them the very best of luck in their future endeavors." 

“My office was pleased to have these students who represent the future and youth to come,” said Mayor Brian A. DePeña. “Thank you, Keolis Scholars Lawrence, State Representatives Frank Moran, Estela Reyes, Senator Pavel Payano, Acting Superintendent Juan Rodriguez, and all the friends and parents for the support. My administration is looking forward to seeing more of this event to come in the near future.” 

“Scholarships like these play a significant part in our students’ higher education journey,” said Mayor Jared C. Nicholson. “We’re grateful for the support provided by Keolis to help our students pursue their goals and future endeavors.” 

“I want to thank Keolis for recognizing these local scholars for their achievements,” said Mayor Joseph M. Petty. “This group of Worcester students is pursuing very different courses of studies and contributions like this are imperative in helping them reach their goals. Thank you to all involved!” 

2023 Keolis Scholarship Awardees in Boston: 

• Mantherry Edouard, UMass Boston 
• Elvin Hernandez, Boston University 
• Dawens Fortune, Bridgewater State University 
• Michael Nuñez, Wentworth Institute of Technology
• Sami Salloum, UMass Amherst 

2023 Keolis Scholarship Awardees in Brockton: 

• Michael Pham, Wentworth Institute of Technology 
• Desiree Santos, Barry University 
• Abigail Bertocchi, UMass Amherst
• Steve Adames Mateo, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Mackenzie Gomes, American University 

2023 Keolis Scholarship Awardees in Lawrence: 

• Julian Rosario, Husson University 
• Lindsay Lopez, Simmons University
• Dairin Bautista, UMass Amherst
• Alexander Paredes, UMass Lowell 
• Walky Felipe, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

2023 Keolis Scholarship Awardees in Lynn: 

• Yesenia Esteban Lopez, North Shore Community College
• Nicolas Toledo, North Shore Community College
• Angelina Costin, UMass Amherst
• Turner White, Roger Williams University
• Emily Taveras, Suffolk University 

2023 Keolis Scholarship Awardees in Worcester: 

• Phu Nyugen, UMass Amherst 
• Leslie Mburu, UMass Amherst 
• Michael James Alan, Clark University 
• Noveadra Sorensen-Holmes, Salem State University 
• Sophia Ngo, Northeastern University 

Keolis Commuter Services operates and maintains the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s commuter rail system, the sixth largest commuter rail operation in North America. KCS is a subsidiary of Keolis North America (KNA), both headquartered in Boston, and employs approximately 2,500 people throughout the region. KCS and KNA are part of Keolis Group, an innovative global leader in transit services with more than a century of passenger transportation experience and operations in 13 countries. 

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