Alexandria, Va. — In a press release issued this morning, The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria (SFA) announced it awarded $460,000 in scholarships to 170 T.C. Williams High School Class of 2019 students to support their college education.
This is the largest amount awarded to first-year scholarship recipients in the organization’s 33-year history. More than half of the scholarship recipients will be the first in their family to attend college.
The scholarships will support students with financial need and help them attend college. Many students are eligible to receive additional scholarship support through all four years of college. The SFA also awards more than $500,000 in renewal scholarships annually.
“We are so very grateful to everyone here who has financially supported our students, believed in our students, and helped make college possible for local Alexandria students in need. While this is the largest amount we have ever awarded, it is important to remember that our continued support for students like these is critical in helping ensure that college can be possible for all T.C. Williams students despite their financial need or hardship,” said SFA Board Chair Priscilla Goodwin.
Changing Lives
Of the 170 students receiving scholarships, a number are heading to Harvard University, Yale University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Northern Virginia Community College and Georgetown University. They will be going on to major in criminology, psychology, cinematography, physics and business among other subjects next year.
“These scholarships change lives…forever. This is my favorite night of the year, when all of our bright, hard-working students — more than half of them the first in their family to attend college — are celebrated for their academic achievements and the amazing futures that lie ahead of them. It is such a meaningful and poignant moment when I see our students stand side by side with the people who support their scholarships and make college possible for them,” said SFA Executive Director Beth Lovain.
Divine Tsasa Nzita, recipient of the T.C. Williams Class of 1989 Scholarship, received a $20,000 scholarship award over four years. Divine, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and is Student Government President at T.C. Williams, will begin her college career at Northern Virginia Community College where she plans to study International Relations with a minor in French and Korean.
“I cannot begin to express how grateful we are for being given this chance to advance our education beyond high school. Having the support of The Scholarship Fund and all of its donors, and the support of T.C. Williams, is a priceless gift,” she told the audience on Wednesday evening.
Individual community supporters and local business leaders who provided the funding for the scholarships joined the recipients on stage during the 2019 SFA Scholarship Awards Ceremony.
The SFA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization providing scholarships and financial aid advising to Alexandria City Public School students. Since 1986, SFA has awarded $16.5 million in scholarships, making college dreams come true for 4,750 students.
2019 Scholarship Recipient Highlights:
Maryam Abdou – Recipient of the Loti Dunn Scholarship, has received a $20,000 scholarship over four years to study economics at Georgetown University. Maryam, whose family is Egyptian, wants to use her economics degree to help those around the world who are less fortunate.
Danya Adam – Recipient of the T.C. Williams Class of 1989 Scholarship, has received a $20,000 scholarship over four years to attend Vanderbilt University. Danya is the first generation in her family to attend college. Her father came to the U.S. from Sudan in the 1980s to build a better life for himself and his family.
Syed Tanzim Al Muhtasin – Recipient of the 1971 Titans Scholarship, has received a $12,000 scholarship over four years to attend The College of William and Mary. Syed, the first generation in his family to attend college, is majoring in chemistry on a pre-dental track. He wants to serve his community in the future by providing dental care to low-income families.
Full List of 2019 Scholarship Recipients:
Maryam Abdou
Hanane Abdulla
Helena Abu
Danya Adam
Abigail Adams
Leticia Adobea
Jessica Agbeve
Haidee Ahmed
Syed Tanzim Al Muhtasin
Tinsae Alem
Muhammad Ali
Angy Alvarado
Syndi Alvarenga
Mercy Anane
Maria Areyan Hernandez
Eyerusalem Asegdew
Ali Assefa
Mark Bailey
Mohamad Baltaji
Mariama Bangura
Hannah Bangura
Solyana Bekele
Ruth Bekele
Russell Biesada
Hamilton Boocock
Dyson Boocock
Jordyn Brent
Jacqeline Canning
Lily Clausen
Elspeth Collard
Zariyah Cope
Ja’Nae Corbin
Joshua Del Orbe
Nikodimos Desalegn
Kalista Diamantopoulos
Campbell Dickson
Najee Dillard
Aidan Donnellan
John Dresen
Heledana Ekubezghi
Adam Elnahas
Azariah Essayas
Scott Fernandez
Jaci Fernandez
Ella Fesler
Paula Filios
Chaudry Fizan
Ariana Frazier
Isabel Frye
Joselin Fuentes
Ramla Gaal
Tibebe Gebiso
Selihom Ghebreweldi
Zoe Glasser
Nahum Gojela
Xiomara Gonzales
Blossom Graham
Neydi Guardado
Kurbel Hailemeskel
Michael Hailu
Reese Hardman
Griffin Harris
Gabriel Harr-Siebenlist
Molly Hayes
Gabriel Hendi
Shelsy Hernandez
Amaiya Howard
David Huang
Brendan Huber-Wilker
Nathan Huguley
Ana Humphrey
Jackeline Ibarra
Ugochi Ihezue
Emma Irvin
Layla Janah
Avery Johnson
Will Jones
Mario Jones
Selam Joseph
Ashley Keith
Mariesha Koroma
Augustine Kpewa
Tatiana Kyle
Will Lally
Nicole Larsen
Lutfi LaSida
Nelson Lazo
Joseph Lepak
Natalie Levine
Alexander Lockett
Jefrey Lopez
Matthew Lustig
Lezena Mamo
Jerome Maquiling
Chloe Marsh
Jadah Martin
Amstelina Massaquoi
Yonas Melaku
Dennis Mendoza
Helen Mengel
Semra Mengistu
Michael Mensah
Hannah Miller
Charlotte Milone
Nadia Moallin
Ivan Molina
Hermella Moses
Ailysh Motsinger
Tessa Naughton-Rockwell
McKenzie O’Brien
Leslin Ochoa
Gabriela Ortez
Maame Akosua Osei-Bonsu
Emmanuel Owusu
Trinity Palacio
Maya Parada
Mariana Paredes-Munoz
Sophia Parker
Jasselene Paz
Mireida Perez Molina
Monica Perez Morales
Annaliese Ponzi
Maxim Powell
Eileen Powell
John Quinn
Cindy Quinteros
Fariha Rafa
Ciara Reed
Luke Remy
Emily Roberts
Caroline Roda
Lillian Sacher
Homa Safi
Deion Sanchez-Viafara
Souleyemane Sangare
Emily Sedgwick
Kaleabe Seifu
Timothy Sellers
Marielle Claire Serrona
Hawa Sharif
Markelene Sheferaw
Classy Shepherd
Shaan Shuster
Ainsley Simmons
Ira Siwecki
Elisa Solorzano
Sirawit Srakaew
Hannah Stone
Zerin Tasnim
Denay Taylor
Abel Tekle
Tinssae Tesfa
Milkias Tesfay
Herumela Tewolde
Phoebe Tomsu
Adriana Torres
James Townsend
Divine Tsasa Nzita
Miya Usher
Fernanda Vasquez
Noa Vizzaccaro
Evan Waldner
Addison Waller
Sean Walsh
Nyla Ward
Aidan White
Bridget Williams
Hanna Woube
Saron Yohannes
Peng Zhang
