AWI Scholarship Winners Campaign for a Better World for Animals

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) announced today the 12 winners of a scholarship designed to invest in future leaders who seek to improve the lives of animals—from advancing medical research techniques that don’t rely on animal testing to advocating humane agricultural practices.

The Animal Welfare Institute Scholarship program, now in its sixth year, recognizes high school seniors in the United States who are actively involved in helping animals in their schools or communities and plan to continue working on behalf of animals in college and beyond. A dozen winners, selected from a record 930 applicants, will each receive $3,000 for application toward post-secondary education expenses, along with a free subscription to the AWI Quarterly magazine.

“Our 2025 scholarship winners have demonstrated admirable leadership and technological prowess, launching successful high school clubs, fundraising events, and other major projects to better protect animals and improve their care,” said Susan Millward, AWI’s executive director and chief executive officer. “AWI is thrilled to support these exemplary students as they continue their studies to drive positive change in the animal welfare movement.”

Scholarship recipients have launched a YouTube channel dedicated to ethical environmentalism, self-published a novel about the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, organized large-scale microplastic beach cleanups, and fostered dozens of dogs, transforming their home into a place of healing. The recipients include future pre-vet majors, nonprofit leaders, animal welfare inspectors, endangered species advocates, animal rescuers, and more.

The 2025 Animal Welfare Institute Scholarship winners are:
Violet Allori, Banks High School, Oregon; Hanna Juma, Glassboro High School, New Jersey; Colleen Kielbania, Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School, Massachusetts; Sania Lee, Heritage High School, Georgia; Blake Lugosi, William T. Dwyer High School, Florida; Kayla Mabry, Rockford High School, Michigan; Cora McCabe, Washington-Liberty High School, Virginia; Aashay Mody, Irvine High School, California; John O’Connor, Tenafly High School, New Jersey; Daniel Onwudinanti, South Grand Prairie High School, Texas; Madison Villafane, Wando High School, South Carolina; and Samantha Waldron, Highland High School, Idaho.

In addition to the scholarship program, AWI, in partnership with the Humane Education Network, holds an annual “A Voice for Animals” competition. High school students from all over the world are awarded cash prizes for essays, photo essays, or videos that examine issues involving animal conservation and welfare and present viable solutions. The deadline for applications this year is May 31.