The National Hockey League and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund announced the four winners of the 2017 scholarship on Thursday.

The NHL and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund have awarded 15 scholarships since 2012, as part of their initiative with the Hockey is for Everyone program. The students have been active in the youth hockey program, with goals on pursuing higher education in a variety of majors.

The 2017 recipients of the scholarship are Musa Ibrahim, of the Ice Hockey in Harlem program, Laura Lima, of the Hockey in New Jersey program, Jaylin Muse, of the Ed Snider Hockey program and Patrick Rosa, of the Capital City Crew in Raleigh, North Carolina.

NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman said, “Our Hockey is for Everyone program helps young people athletic accomplishment with academic excellence, while our collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund creates the opportunity to reach greater heights of educational achievement. We are extremely proud of the student athletes whose perseverance, on and off the ice, has empowered their future.”  

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund added, “For the past five years, our partnership with the NHL has changed the trajectory of these scholar athletes lives once they graduate from high school. Together, TMCF and the NHL are opening new vistas for these talented students who can complete the hat trick of life, attending college, participating in sports and preparing for future careers.”

Ibrahim, a defenseman attributes his interest or start in hockey to his mother, who signed him up for the Ice Hockey in Harlem program. The graduating senior, from the Harvey School in Westchester, New York will be heading to Temple University in the fall. The film studies major, hopes to become a documentary filmmaker.

The Ice Hockey in Harlem program was started to help improve the social and academic youth in Harlem through participation in team sports.

Lima, is a forward in the Hockey in New Jersey program. She began playing the sport after watching her first New Jersey Devils game. Lima has also volunteered with the New York Riveters of the National Women’s Hockey League, during their games at the Devils practice facility, the RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House in Newark.

She will be attending Rowen University in the fall, to study criminal justice and psychology, as she hopes to have a career in law enforcement in the future.

The Hockey in New Jersey program has inspired the youth in the state to develop life skills, succeed academically and create positive relationships through hockey.

Muse is the second consecutive recipient of the award from the Ed Snider Hockey program. She was introduced to the game when she was 13-years-old.

Muse hopes to one day pursue a career in environmental engineering, with the focus of tackling water pollution. She will attend West Chester University in the fall to study engineering. Even after losing her home to a fire in 2013, the sport helped her excel at Parkway West High School in Philadelphia.

The Ed Snider Hockey program has helped to inspire youth in the Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey area providing them with rigorous off-ice life skills curriculum and supplemental educational services to build character and confidence in young boys and girls.

Rosa, a right wing, who also credits his start in the sport to his mother. As she signed him up for the Capital City Crew when he was 10. 

The Middle Creek High School in Apex, North Carolina will be attending North Carolina Central University to study business administration.

The Capital City Crew, has provided youth in the Raleigh, North Carolina area with the opportunity to play ice hockey and provide them with the chance to reach their full potential both on the ice and off.

The scholarship was developed under the direction of Bettman, who serves on the board of directors. Funding is raised at the Congressional Hockey Challenge, an annual charity hockey game between members of Congress and their staff versus registered lobbyists.

Throughout the year, the NHL supports the Hockey is for Everyone initiative through non-profit minor hockey organization across North America. Most of these organizations are committed to offering underprivileged, disadvantaged and marginalized children with the opportunity to play hockey, while leveraging the sport to build character, foster positive values and develop important life skills.