FUNDING THE FUTURE - The Clorox Company

Justin Coe’s life experiences have helped him grow
from high school graduate (above) into successful
husband and patent attorney (with wife, Kayla, below).
Justin’s Path to Patent Attorney
Justin Coe — son of Kingsford® employee
Bob Coe, Jr. — received The Clorox
Company Foundation scholarship in
1996 and took an unconventional path to
his career.
“I was ver y proud to receive the
scholarship, and my father was just as
proud,” Justin remembers. “Being a
first-generation college student and one
“The scholarship
made possible an
otherwise far-fetched
hope of attaining a
college education.”
of five children, the scholarship made
possible an otherwise far-fetched hope of
attaining a college education.”
Justin got off to a great start at Oregon
State University, but after losing his
mother to breast cancer, his focus
began to drift. When his grades started
suffering, Justin decided he needed a
change and left school.
In 2000, he joined the U.S. Air Force and
served four years, including deployments
to the Middle East.
“During my years in the military, I
matured into a more confident and
dedicated individual, and my desire
to better myself and my life through
education grew stronger,” Justin says.
“Having already begun my college
education, I knew I would return to
complete my degree when I was more
prepared to do so.”
Sure enough, he enrolled at Portland
State University in 2004, graduated with
a degree in electrical engineering, and
last year earned his law degree. Justin
now lives in Arizona with his wife Kayla
and works as a patent attorney.
“I want to become the best patent
attorney I can be and be a great husband
and father. Our baby is due in April!”
Now in her first year of college, Carol Cristiano
(second from left) enjoys meeting new people from
different backgrounds and experiences.
Carol’s Privilege to Learn
Carol Cristiano, daughter of Clorox
Colombia employee Balmiro Cristiano,
considers college a privilege.
“I was very happy when I learned that I
received the Clorox scholarship because
it is not easy to get an opportunity like
the one Clorox is giving me,” Carol says.
“I feel that I am privileged to be part of
a small group of young people in my
country that go to college.”
And Carol wasn’t the only one happy
about receiving The Clorox Company
Foundation scholarship in 2009.
“I feel that
I am privileged
to be part
of a small
group of
young people
in my country
that go
to college.”
“First, economically it has been very
special because it would have been
difficult for me to afford the costs of
Carol’s studies,” her father, Balmiro,
says. “Second, the scholarship has given
my family confidence to always do our
best — me at my job and my daughter
in college.”
Carol is now in her second year at
Fundación Universitaria Panamericana
working toward a degree in childhood
education.
“I think childhood is the most beautiful
and pure phase of a person’s life,” Carol
says. “The education given during that
time is full of responsibility because
those children will one day be the leaders
of our country.”
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