Date: Nov 16, 2011

Alums with Sterling GPAs Receive Da Silva Scholarships

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY … Two Hofstra graduates, Danielle E. Shure of Hewlett, NY, and Dana Bergstrom of  Billerica, MA, both from the Class of 2011, have been named recipients of Hofstra University’s Albert I. Da Silva Memorial Endowed Scholarship for each earning a 4.0 G.P.A. The late Mr. Albert Da Silva was a noted entertainment lawyer. His wife, Zenia Da Silva, is a professor of Romance Languages and Literature at Hofstra. She has been on the Hofstra faculty for more than 50 years. She is Hofstra’s longest-serving professor.

Photo: (L to r) Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz, Hofstra alumna and scholarship winner Danielle Shure, Dr. Zenia Da Silva, and Hofstra Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Herman Berliner.

Dr. Da Silva, Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz, and Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Herman A. Berliner, met with Ms. Shure and her family on October 28, 2011. At that time, Dr. Da Silva spoke about her and her husband’s shared commitment to education and his distinguished professional accomplishments.

Ms. Shure, who is currently studying at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, majored in political science at Hofstra and minored in economics. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Hofstra University Honors College with distinction, and earned high departmental honors for her thesis, "Biting the Bullet:  Heller & the Reinterpretation of the Second Amendment."  She was a member of the honor societies Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Epsilon, Pi Sigma Alpha, and Golden Key. She also served on the Student Conduct Board and as vice president of Pre-Law Society.

Ms. Bergstrom, who was unable to attend the meeting, majored in exercise science at Hofstra. She was a member of the Hofstra Women's Soccer team, named CAA Second Team All-Star, ESPN/Co-SIDA Academic All-America First Team, and named the recipient of the Dr. Sylvia J. Giallombardo Female Scholar-Athlete Award. Her other honors include CAA Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Hofstra University Outstanding Senior Scholar award.

Ms. Bergstrom is currently working as a physical therapy aide at Sports and Physical Therapy Associates in Lexington, MA, and plans to pursue a physician assistant master's program next summer.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution of higher education where more than 12,000 full and part-time students choose from undergraduate and graduate offerings in liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering, communication, education, health and human services, honors studies, a School of Law and the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future. Located in Nassau County, New York, on over 240 acres, the University is less than an hour from midtown Manhattan.

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