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Old Westbury College Foundation’s Inaugural Own Your Future Gala Raises Over $244,000 for Student Resources and Scholarships

Old Westbury
Timothy Sams at podium

On Thursday, April 25, 2024 the Old Westbury College Foundation (OWCF) hosted its first Own Your Future Gala. 

Over 300 attendees gathered at The Inn at New Hyde Park to raise funding for student resources at SUNY Old Westbury, while recognizing university supporters and advocates John B. King, Jr., Ph.D., Chancellor of the State University of New York, Nisha Kaur Sethi, M.D. and Maninder Singh Sethi, Long Island philanthropists, and Leslie and Mark Sillcox, co-founders of the Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation. 

The event was emceed by Monica Morales of PIX11 News and “Monica Makes it Happen”, and included presentations by Nora Bassett, OWCF Chair, Timothy Sams, Ph.D, President of SUNY Old Westbury, Victoria Schneps, Co-Publisher of Schneps Media and Donald Gelestino, President of Champion Elevators.

The event raised over $244,000 through sponsorship from numerous organizations including The Las Vegas Sands, the Sethi Family and Goldman Sachs, as well as funding from live and silent auctions benefitting student scholarships during the event. Gifts are still being accepted at https://bit.ly/GalaScholarship24 

Old Westbury
OWCF Board: (from left to right) first row: Alexander Mun (gala co-chair), Nora Bassett (board chair), Timothy Sams (university president), Ravi Bhooplapur (gala co-chair); second row: Kyle Anderson, Elizabeth Custodio, Angela Wambugu Cobb (executive director), Donald Gelestino; third row: Steve Connolly, Luis Ras, Ana Tavares, Keith Engley (board treasurer); fourth row: Gary Casimir, Amira Richardson and Derek Peterson.
Old Westbury
Victoria Schneps and John B. King, Jr.
Old Westbury
Timothy Sams, Donald Gelestino and Steven Connolly
Old Westbury
Amira Richardson, Arvind Vora, B. Runi Mukherji and Dev Ratnam
Old Westbury
Horn Wright, LLP team
Old Westbury
Mark and Leslie Sillcox and the SUNY Old Westbury Sillcox Scholar students and alumni
Old Westbury
Nora Bassett, Renee Flagler and Donald Gelestino
Old Westbury
Leslie and Mark Sillcox
Old Westbury
Maninder Singth Sethi and Nisha Kaur Sethi, M.D.
Old Westbury
Timothy Sams, Ph.D. and James B. King, Jr. Ph.D.
Old Westbury
Jason Lipiec, Timothy Sams and Elizabeth Custodio
Old Westbury
Timothy Sams and Monica Morales
Old Westbury
Donald Gelestino and Victoria Schneps
Old Westbury
Matt Aracich, Duncan Quarless, former Governor David Paterson and Elizabeth Custodio