Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania – Jun 20, 2024: We are delighted to announce Aniysa Thorne, a veteran in the United States Army, will be awarded a $7500 scholarship towards her bachelor’s degree in law and society at DeSales University.

“A degree in law and society is merely my first step in becoming a lawyer. I have always known that I would not be fulfilled unless I did something to make other people’s lives better. I am from Newark, New Jersey and I’ve seen a lot of injustice.” says Thorne.

Prior to enrolling at DeSales University, Thorne served approximately 7 years in the U.S. Army. Aniysa’s long-term career goal is to go to law school and specialize in public policy. “A degree in Law and Society will create a foundation for me to become an attorney to protect our citizens. I will serve as a prosecutor, a public defender and eventually a judge. If my statesmen see fit, I intend to become an elected official making changes to make our society a safer place. I want to practice law so that no family fails to have justice simply because they are poor, uneducated or both.” says Thorne.

“Aniysa demonstrates excellent leadership qualities, clear goals with a purpose and a strong commitment to serving the community.” says Alyssa Budraitis, co-founder of Andrew Budraitis Foundation.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the applicants who demonstrated their passion and dedication through their impressive applications. The selection process was highly competitive, and each applicant showcased remarkable abilities and potential.

Thank you to our generous donors and supporters, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your invaluable contributions.

The Andrew Budraitis Foundation Scholarship is a committee-coordinated scholarship fund established at the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation in 2022. The Andrew Budraitis Foundation is a component fund of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity.