- Education
- Stories & Testimonials
- Financial Assistance
JFCS is proud of our Loans and Grants Program graduates. Here are updates on two of our many successful alumni:
Andrea Bouch-Dimondstein
What do you do?
- Andrea Bouch-Dimondstein
I’m a senior account manager at Fluxx, a San Francisco-based company that provides customized software to grant makers. I work closely with large and small foundations. Before that, I worked at Google, and I was a Kiva Fellow in Guatemala. Kiva is an international nonprofit whose Fellows oversee improvement projects worldwide through microfinancing institutions.
Where did you go to college?
I received my bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego.
Why did you approach JFCS for a student loan?
I wanted to attend a specialized graduate program in nonprofit management and international development at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, but I could not afford it. JFCS offered a loan at a very low interest rate. I earned a combined MBA – MA degree.
Why should the community support the JFCS Educational Loans and Grants Program?
It helps young people to explore their interests and pursue passions that will have a meaningful impact on the world. Attending school at the University of Geneva was one of the most incredible experiences of my lifetime and made it possible for me to do a great job.
Katia Savchuk
- Katia Savchuk
What do you do?
I am a journalist on the wealth team at Forbes Magazine. Previously, I completed an internship at the Center for Investigative Journalism.
Where did you go to college?
I’m a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard.
Why did you approach JFCS for a student loan?
I knew about JFCS because it assisted my family when we emigrated from Kiev when I was 4 years old. I come from an immigrant family with few resources, and I always wanted to be a journalist. I was the editor in chief of (San Francisco) Lowell High School’s newspaper.
Because of JFCS’ help, I completed two master’s degrees—one from the London School of Economics, the other from Columbia University’s School of Journalism. At Columbia, I graduated with honors and won three awards in reporting and writing.
Why should the community support the JFCS Educational Loans and Grants Program?
In the United States, education equals opportunity. But it is very expensive to obtain it. The program gives students like me and many others a leg up so that we can get the schooling we need to make a difference in the world.