The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers announced the recipient of the 2024 AACFB Scholarship, Widtherly Exantus.

Since its inception in October 2020, the AACFB scholarship program has aimed to support high school seniors and students pursuing education in various avenues, including trade or technical schools, as well as traditional two or four-year institutions. To date, six students have been awarded scholarships.

Exantus, this year’s first-place recipient, is from McDonough, GA, and will be granted a $3,500 award. Widtherly’s impressive achievements, including her leadership roles as captain of the marksmanship team, president of the math team and her dedication to AFJROTC as APT squadron commander, caught the attention of the AACFB’s scholarship task force. Additionally, her outstanding academic record, ranking 10th in her class with a consistent 4.0 GPA, further demonstrated her commitment to excellence. Upon completion of high school, Widtherly aspires to pursue a career in pediatric dentistry.

“Winning this scholarship is truly a blessing and will greatly support my pursuit of higher education, especially as a first-generation immigrant,” Widtherly said. “I am sincerely grateful to the AACFB organization for granting me this opportunity, as it means a lot to me and has filled my parents with immense pride. Their support and this scholarship will undoubtedly make a significant difference in my academic journey, and I am committed to making the most of this opportunity.”

The selection process for this year’s scholarship was particularly challenging due to the multitude of impressive applicants. Alongside Widtherly, the AACFB’s scholarship task force recognized Taya Weber as the runner-up.

Weber, a high school senior from Montevideo, MN, will receive an award of $1,500. The AACFB’s scholarship task force was impressed by Weber’s ability to balance her involvement in three sports, part-time employment, volunteer commitments and academic responsibilities. Following graduation, Weber plans to pursue a career in social work.

“Winning this scholarship will help me continue to strive and achieve my academic goals in the future,” Weber said.