This school year, nearly 10,000 Arizona State University students heading to campus will receive scholarships funded by private support.
Scholarships, while not a replacement for public funding, offer students the opportunity to go above and beyond in their pursuits. Many recipients are using these awards to pursue careers in fields they may not have had access to without private funding.
Meet some of the scholars making moves to shape their futures.
Anthony Green
Scholarship: Green is a recipient of the Mark Bowland Leadership Fund. This award recognizes the contributions of young adult leaders who identify as LGBT and the indelible impact that their efforts have on the present and future.
Anthony Green
His story: Green, a senior majoring in management in the W. P. Carey School of Business, took a leave of absence last semester to intern at Creative Artists Agency in Nashville, a nationally recognized talent agency. Upon his return, he was selected as the leading talent buyer at Steve LeVine Entertainment in Scottsdale, Arizona. Building on skills he learned through his internship experience at CAA, he recently produced and planned concerts for performing artists such as Alesso and Adventure Club. He is majoring in management in the W. P. Carey School of Business and is pursuing a certificate in special events management.
His goals: “Upon graduation, my goal is to become a lead buyer in Arizona or return to the agency world and become a talent agent,” Green said. “I plan on taking this upcoming semester to gain even more experience as a buyer and figure out which route I ultimately want to take. This award will help me to remain debt-free throughout college, and I am extremely grateful for that.”
Salim Siraj
Scholarship: Siraj is a recipient of the ASU Dignity Health Scholarship Program. Dignity Health provides scholarships to students interested in careers in health care. Their values include academic excellence, volunteer service, community involvement, human kindness, compassion, and desire and commitment.
Salim Siraj
His story: Siraj is a pre-health junior in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, majoring in biological sciences. Through his scholarship, he had the opportunity to volunteer at Dignity Health, which taught him about patience and hard work, and also inspired his decision to choose a career path that ultimately serves others.
His goals: “When I graduate, my goal is to further my education through graduate school. I am currently deciding between medical school or other options in the health-care field, such as dentistry or pharmaceuticals,” Siraj said. “I hope to one day own a health clinic to serve underprivileged communities in my home state of Arizona.”
Joycelyn Cabrera
Scholarship: Cabrera is a recipient of the Rizai Family Scholarship. The Rizai Family Scholarship was created through the generous philanthropy of Matthew Rizai to ensure access to higher education for talented individuals.
Joycelyn Cabrera
Her story: Cabrera, a first-generation college student, is a freshman attending the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, majoring in journalism and mass communication. She chose ASU because she wanted to remain close to her family in Maricopa, Arizona, and study at one of the top journalism schools in the country.
Her goals: “My passions include writing, storytelling, and giving people the opportunity to have a voice,” said Cabrera. “I plan to make the most of my time at ASU, learning as much as I can to continuously improve. For me, becoming a recognized and successful writer and reporter would be a dream come true.”
Learn more about supporting students at ASU.
Top photo courtesy ASU Foundation
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