The Eritrean Diaspora Scholarship Committee is excited to announce our 2023-2024 awardees. This is our fifth year of being able to impact the lives of Eritrean students positively, and we hope to keep it going for many more years. After careful reviewing 35 applications, nine were selected to receive scholarships of $2,000 each. Here are their stories and their expressed gratitude to our donors.
Hannah Berhane
Hannah Berhane is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Global Studies with a concentration in international social movements. She is passionate about sustainable community development, liberation struggles across Africa and South America, and migration. Hannah is honored to have received this scholarship from the Eritrean Diaspora Network and plans to use it for research and study abroad purposes. She hopes to work to empower the Eritrean community in the future and continue to connect with Eritreans everywhere.
Gidey Gezae
Gidey Gezae is a second-year student at Pennsylvania State University, and is a Flaherty and Millennium Scholar. She is majoring in Communicative Sciences and Disorders with a Audiology focus. Gidey is sincerely thankful for the support and opportunities from The Eritrean Diaspora Network Scholarship, and is committed to making the most of this valuable resource. Her main interests are in researching hearing disorders and contributing to medical innovations as a research professor. As well as becoming an advocate for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students pursuing careers in medicine and other health professions. Gidey’s ultimate goal is to contribute to her community’s growth and success by inspiring and supporting others to pursue their dreams in the medical and healthcare fields, ultimately strengthening and building the Eritrean community across the globe.
Sesen Gojela
Sesen Gojela is a first year student attending the University of Virginia. She is currently undecided for her major, but intends to use this first year of college to explore her academic passions. Although she doesn’t know her exact career path yet, what she does know is that in the future she hopes to make an impact on marginalized communities. These funds will be used to pay for her tuition and any additional educational expenses. Sesen is extremely grateful to the Eritrean Diaspora Network and its donors for awarding her this scholarship and creating this organization that encourages other Eritrean students to further their education.
Aron Gebrai
Aron Gebrai is a junior attending Hunter College in New York City and is majoring in Economics. His career interests also lie in the realms of Economics and Finance, and as such he intends to pursue a career in investment management upon completing his undergraduate studies. Aron is passionate about understanding financial markets and economic systems, and he actively participates in various extracurricular activities related to his field of study. In his free time, he enjoys helping out in his local community by actively volunteering. All in all, Aron is grateful to have received this opportunity to be a part of the EDN scholarship and plans to use this funding to aid in his education. He hopes that one day he can do the same for the future Eritrean youth.
Lemuel Samuel
Lemuel is a senior at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He is majoring in Global Studies with minors in Political Science and African/African American Studies. In the future, he hopes to attend graduate school with the ultimate goal of working in international diplomacy. He will use the scholarship for his tuition and living expenses. As a long-time member of Minnesota’s Eritrean Community Center and the Eritrean Community Radio program at KFAI, Lemuel is honored to receive the generous support from his community in his academic endeavors.
Robel Tadesse
Robel is currently a junior at San Jose State University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. He is dedicated to the field of healthcare and is passionate about making a positive impact on Eritrean communities both locally and around the world. Robel envisions using his nursing skills to provide vital medical support to Eritrean refugees and contribute to improving the healthcare infrastructure in Eritrea. He is thankful for the EDN scholarship, which has eased his financial responsibilities during his academic journey, and is excited to embark on a career path that will benefit the well-being of Eritreans. In addition to his academic pursuits, Robel is actively involved in humanitarian organizations dedicated to helping refugees. He volunteers his time to assist refugees in settling down, offers translation services for immigration documents, and advocates for the resettlement of Eritrean refugees. His commitment to this cause reflects his deep-rooted dedication to making a difference in the lives of those who, like him, have experienced the challenges of displacement and the longing for a brighter future.
Dimiana Habtemariam
Dimiana Habtemariam is a graduate student at New York University pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration – Public & Nonprofit Management & Policy with a specialization in Advocacy and Political Action. Her goals are to utilize her skills in democracy building to increase democratic access to Black and brown voters here in the United States. This scholarship will help her with living expenses and academic fees. She is indebted to EDN, not only for this scholarship fund, but also for curating a space where Eritreans within the diaspora can look to each other for inspiration, networking, and community-building.
Asta Zerue Habtemichael
Asta Zerue Habtemichael is a PhD candidate in Chemical Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography (URI-GSO) and a NIH trainee in the STEEP Superfund Research Program. Asta is a mixed-method researcher who combines social science and natural science research methods to study the effects of contaminants of emerging concern in the environment and public health. Asta aims to use the scholarship funds towards research and professional development expenses. After completing his PhD, Asta plans to work in a national or international research program at the interface of science and policy to understand chemical impacts within ecological health framework, to best inform prevention and mitigation efforts. Asta’s planned professional trajectory revolves around refining our scientific, regulatory, and cultural understanding of chemical pollution, to design a more inclusive and integrated approach to address persistent pollutants. Asta will use his networks and expertise to advance the EDN mission and goals to cultivate a network of young Eritreans in STEM fields, particularly in environmental sciences.
Misgana Kurban
Misgana Kurban is attending American University, as a first-year graduate student in the School of International Service and obtaining her Master’s Degree in Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights. Misgana’s future goals are to apply the skills that she has gained to work in international development so that she can work on ways to support countries like Eritrea’s infrastructure to reduce refugees and immigrants leaving their home country. She believes people should not feel like they have to leave their home countries for more opportunities, as many families and young people have had to do over the years. She plans on using the funds for her academic endeavors. Misgana wants to serve communities to uplift and change how we grow and develop as a society. She wants to build the Eritrean Diaspora in ways that empower us with a culture of opportunity.
We want to express our sincere gratitude to our Scholarship Committee that worked hard to review applications and to our donors whose contributions are vital in helping us sustain this program. Thank you.
Onward and upward.