The Alternative Press

Marlena Hurlbut, a Bloomfield resident and recent graduate of Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell, has been awarded the 2012 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Scholarship. Presented annually for over 20 years, the scholarship is available to high school seniors who are relatives of Coldwell Banker employees and sales associates. Marlena will receive $500 a semester for four years, for a total of $4,000. Marlena’s mother and father are Lorraine and Geoffrey Hurlbut, respectively a real estate agent and office administrator with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Caldwell.

“It thrills us each year to offer financial assistance that supports young people like Marlena who have demonstrated their commitment to academic excellence,” said Hal Maxwell, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in New Jersey and Rockland County, N.Y., who presented Marlena with the award. “We invest in the education of our agents so they can provide superior service, and it’s rewarding to give back to them by helping with the growing costs of higher education for their children.”

Coldwell Banker Scholarship applicants are evaluated based on an essay, academic performance, extra-curricular activities and teacher recommendations. Marlena plans to major in Communications/Journalism and Political Science. She said she looks forward to spending a semester abroad, and ultimately would like to embark on a career in fashion journalism. It’s an interest and talent that Marlena inherited from her grandmother, who worked as a fashion designer for sportswear, and her mother, who is known for her skill in staging and decorating homes.

“Marlena has always been a self-starter,” said Geoffrey Hurlbut. Her parents never had to urge her to do her school work, and they were both surprised when they saw Marlena’s scholarship application and realized just how many extracurricular activities she took part in throughout her school career. She was treasurer of the French Club and yearbook editor, as well as being a member of the National Honor Society, National French Honor Society, stage crew and Key Club. Marlena was also a chairmember for Relay for Life and helped raised $90,000 in 2011 alone for cancer research. She also played varsity field hockey and JV tennis. Outside of school, Marlena volunteered at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, partook in jumping events as a member of the Essex Equestrian Center and worked as a babysitter and at an Italian Ice stand at the New Jersey shore.

Even with such a full schedule, Marlena impressed her instructors with her excellent academic performance and graduated in the top 10 percent of her class with a 96 GPA. Throughout her time at Mount Saint Dominic Academy she was a consistent first honor roll student. Marlena said her parents’ constant words of encouragement were a great help as she worked hard to overcome Boston College’s 75 percent rejection rate and attend the school that greatly “clicked” with her when she visited.

Receiving the Coldwell Banker Scholarship is extremely helpful, said Marlena, as she is planning to do all she can to help her family pay for her education and graduate without a large debt, such as participating in work study programs and working during the summers.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is dedicated to providing exceptional service and giving back to the communities it serves. For more information, visit www.coldwellbankermoves.com.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in New Jersey and Rockland County, New York, a leading residential real estate brokerage company, operates 58 offices with more than 3,000 sales associates serving all communities from Rockland County, N.Y. to Monmouth County, New Jersey. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in New Jersey and Rockland County, N.Y. is part of NRT LLC, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company.