Seth Okin Good Deeds Scholarship Award Winners

With a number of exceptional applications from students around the country, we are happy to announce the recognition of one outstanding student who is inspiration in his illustration of a dedication to community service and good citizenship in his pursuit to make a meaningful life for others.

2023 Winner: Crystal Minnick

My name is Crystal Minnick, and I am a respiratory therapist in Bloomington, Indiana. In September of 2023 I accepted a position as the regional clinical educator for respiratory therapy at IU Health in South Central Indiana. I am currently attending college at the University of Cincinnati to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT). I grew up in a very small farming town about 25 mins west of Bloomington and earned my associate degree in respiratory therapy in 2014. I am proud to be a first-generation college graduate. I am a mother to three boys ages 18, 16 and 9 and a wife of 20 years to my husband Curtis.

Crystal’s Reaction: I am so excited to be selected as the 2023 recipient of the Seth Okin Good Deeds scholarship. My family
instilled the values of volunteerism and kindness in me at a very young age. I also try very hard to instill these values in my own children and it is a special honor to receive this award. As a mother to children that are nearing adulthood there are many expenses on the horizon for college, graduations, and vehicles. This scholarship is a blessing to my husband and I and will help tremendously with the expense of my own education.

2022 Winner: Jazz Bennett

My name is Jazz Bennett, and I am from Oxford, Ohio. I am a senior at Miami University with a double major in Social Justice Studies and Public Health and a double minor in Urban Design and Critical Race & Ethnic Studies. This fall, I applied to law school and plan to attend in the fall of 2023. I want to become an attorney for people that often have no one fighting for them but themselves. Particularly, I am highly interested in post-conviction work, as I want to help individuals obtain a second chance within the criminal justice system. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, a non-profit law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio. This internship experience changed the trajectory of my life because it solidified my desire to go to law school and become an attorney in the future.

Jazz’s Reaction: I am overjoyed to receive this scholarship from Seth Okin Attorney At Law because I admire this firm’s dedication to helping people in the criminal justice system. As someone that intends to serve as a helpful advocate within this field of law, I know this scholarship award will assist me in paying for my education so that I can one day partake in a legal career of consistent service and dedication to my future clients. I have never been more confident that law school is the next step in my journey. This is why I am so thankful for the opportunity to have applied for this scholarship. Thank you so much!

2019 Winner: Michelle Li

I’m Michelle Li, a senior at the University of Georgia studying finance and marketing. I’m from Atlanta, Georgia and this past summer, I had the unique opportunity to work as a management consulting intern at PwC.  Through my experiences there I developed a passion for data analytics and project management. In my free time, I enjoy videography, photography, and boxing.

Michelle’s Reaction: I am honored and proud to be selected as the scholarship recipient this year. I resonate a lot with Seth Okin’s commitment to serving the community and believe that we can all do our part in supporting others.

2018 Winner: Tanner Feuerstein

My name is Tanner and I am a first year student in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at Oregon State University. I am originally from Arizona and graduated from the University of Arizona in 2018 with a degree in veterinary science and a minor in Spanish. My current career interests reside in companion animal and exotic species emergency medicine with a focus on surgery. I have competed in yoyo contests across the US and Iceland and spend most of my free time perfecting my tricks.

Tanner’s Reaction: I am thrilled to accept this scholarship and am overjoyed that I am receiving much needed assistance with paying for school. Thank you to everyone on the Seth Okin team for providing me this opportunity to pursue my passion for helping animals by making my education less stressful. It is a rare opportunity to receive such a fantastic award, so I am more than happy to accept it. You’re the best!

2017 Winner: Emma Fain

My name is Emma Fain and I am a senior at Ursuline Academy of Dallas. My senior year was filled with excellent learning experiences through being a Captain of my school’s mock trial team, cheering for Cistercian Preparatory School, and most importantly, volunteering at my community’s Teen Court Program. Teen Court enabled me to learn that everyone has a voice that deserved to be heard. I was chosen to be a defense attorney at the Teen Court Program to defend the young adults who had received citations. Getting to spend time with the peers in my community was a blessing to learn more about teens who differ from me and to be able to help them continue forward with their lives consisting of a clean slate. Like many other seniors, I am waiting to hear back from scholarship committees and financial aid before making a firm decision on college next year. As of now, I am looking forward to attending Furman University and graduating with the class of 2022. My plan is to major in psychology and minor in business so that I can achieve my dreams in becoming a clinical family psychologist.

Emma’s Reaction: Words cannot express how honored I am to be chosen for the 2017 Good Deeds Scholarship. I am proud to be one of many young adults who continue to make a difference in the world around us. Even the smallest voice can make a change in our world no matter your age.

2016 Winner: Tanner Thompson

In 2016, Tanner Thompson, a freshman at Arizona State University, is the winner of the Good Deeds Scholarship, celebrating further education and a commitment to community service.

Tanner is attending Barrett, the Honors College, at his university and is majoring in Business with a concentration in Sports and Media Studies. He plans to use his degree to either become a sports agent or enter Officer Training through the Air Force and become a military pilot.

His extensive community service background helped when he founded a service project called “It’s in the Bag,” which provided toiletry kits to the homeless. He was involved in various school clubs and activities throughout high school as well as his church youth group, and he serves as an inspiration to others in what they can do for their community in order to make other’s lives better.