The Eritrean Diaspora Scholarship Committee is excited to announce our 2020-2021 awardees. After careful review of sixty nine applicants, six were selected to receive scholarships in the amount of $2000. Here are their stories and their expressed gratitude to our donors.
Danait Issac
Danait is a rising freshman at Vanderbilt University majoring in Law, History, & Society. She hopes to create her own non- profit organization that will combine her interests in law, public service, and sustainability. The Eritrean Diaspora Scholarship will help pay her tuition and other expenses for college. With the support of the EDN community, Danait looks forward to utilizing this amazing opportunity to strengthen her professional and academic skills and helping other Eritreans to do so as well.
Weena Yohannes
Weena is a freshman at UC Santa Barbara, currently working towards a Molecular Biology major. She is on the pre-med track with an interest in women’s health and future goals of becoming an OB/GYN. Weena plans on returning to Eritrea as an OB/GYN to help women and future mothers with their healthcare. Weena will use the EDN scholarship to pay for her tuition. In her words “It means a lot to have the support of the EDN community since it is helping Eritrean students further their education and make connections with each other. Thank you to all of the donors and the EDN Community, I appreciate the effort that you have put in!”
Nathaniel Zadu
Nathaniel is a Senior at George Mason University studying Information Systems & Operations Management. He just completed his third summer internship and is looking forward to what he will be doing after he graduates this year. This scholarship is much appreciated and will be assisting Nathaniel in paying for tuition this upcoming year. Nathaniel is very grateful for the support of the EDN community which will not only help further his education, but also enhance his involvement within the Eritrean community.
Selam Haile
Selam is majoring in Sociology and minoring in Human Rights Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of California, Berkely. She is a senior graduating in May 2021 and plans to apply to an MSW program in the bay area. She is a first generation student and a mother of two. Selam will use the funds from the EDN Scholarship to prepare for graduate school which she will be attending in the Fall of 2021. Selam shared “As a student parent this has been one of the hardest times both financially and mentally and I am grateful to EDN’s donors, whos support has helped who alleviate all the uncertainties I have dealt with in pursuing my education. To get support from EDN is so amazing. At first I was very happy for the scholarship however I recently have joined their GroupMe and I am in awe of all the resources being shared by the amazing community members. I was not aware of the network but I am grateful to be one of them now. I am so blessed and grateful to be amongst all the wonderful Eritrean Professionals, and to be a part of the EDN community. I hope I will pay this forward one day.”
Falen Demsas
Falen is studying to be a Doctor of Medicine at Dartmouth School of Medicine. She is currently a third-year medical student at the onset of her clinical rotations. She is a first-generation student and an under-represented minority in medicine. She is hoping to pursue a career in a surgical sub-specialty. Falen will use the funds from the scholarship to help purchase resources that will prepare her for board exams. Falen shared with us that “Few people know this, but much of your trajectory in medicine, especially when pursuing a competitive specialty, depends on your performance on standardized tests. While this should not be the case, this is the reality. One’s preparation for these exams can be significantly improved by having access to resources and expensive question banks. I am thankful for the scholarship EDN has awarded me with as it will allow me to have access to these resources and be better prepared to hopefully excel on these exams. This will open many doors for me when applying for residency and benefit my training in the future.” Falen Added “My dad always says ‘Having someone who can say “Ajoki” to you in a challenging time is itself a very valuable thing.’ EDN’s network and programming has always motivated and encouraged me on my journey in medicine. They are the “Ajoki” of our diaspora community. And now they have added another caliber of support- financial. I truly appreciate EDN’s commitment to the diaspora community and the ways in which they identify the needs of Eritreans in the diaspora, and develop programming that seeks to fill those gaps. There is nothing quite like your people having your back, giving you that “ajoki”, and motivating you forward along a difficult journey- I am humbled and grateful for their support.”
Milena Berhane
Milena is an upcoming second year graduate student at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. working toward getting a Masters in Public Health, specifically in Health Policy. Milena is the first in her family to go to graduate school, which has made the experience all the more interesting. Her previous volunteer work with the Refugee Youth Project along with her public health and Africana studies undergraduate education pushed her to pursue a graduate degree in public health. She is most interested in health policy as it relates to health inequity. Along with her studies, she is currently working as a student policy specialist for the Sumner Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness. As a research assistant, she works on projects that support public health equity policy in Washington D.C. along with working for partner organizations across the U.S. The funds from this scholarship will help her to take more courses outside of her major, including subjects such as population health, mental health, etc. Taking these courses will give her a more holistic understanding of the public health field, and a better understanding of contemporary public health issues affecting underrepresented populations. Milena said “It means a lot for me to have the support of the EDN community when it comes to my education. Growing up, my parents always kept me involved in the DMV Eritrean community, and stressed the importance of staying in touch with this community. EDN is a great organization, and to have the support of the Eritrean diaspora excites me for when I will be able to give back to my community in the near future.”