The Akash Kuruvilla Memorial Scholarship Fund Selection Committee congratulates Magdalene Ayuk and Emmanuel Lopez on being selected as the recipients of the 2010 Akash Kuruvilla Memorial Scholarship.

Click Here to read her Personal Statement & Application Essay

Click Here to read the Application Essay

Click Here to read his Personal Statement

Congratulations and best wishes to our 2010 AKMSF Scholars! We would like to thank everyone who applied for our 2010 award and encourage everyone to be on the lookout for more information regarding our 2011 scholarship.

Magdalene Ayuk will be attending Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in the Fall. In addition to being a wife and mother of a three year old daughter, Magdalene has demonstrated fortitude and determination in her pursuit of becoming a public health nurse in an underserved community. Through various volunteer opportunities and membership in Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society, Magdalene has developed crucial leadership skills and understands the value of giving back. As founder and coordinator of her campus’s Cross Cultural Conversation, a one hour weekly forum that promotes and encourages intercultural interaction, she facilitated conversations surrounding diversity. Magdalene says that “As a woman, these opportunities successes and honors would not have been possible back in my native country (Cameroon). It is the American spirit that hard work be rewarded and recognized for each person that to me defines the American Dream.”

Personal Statement

Scholarship Essay

Emmanual Lopez was raised by a single mother of two, and despite many obstacles, he will be attending Texas Tech University in the fall. Personal experiences and inspiration from the sacrifices that his mother made fuel his dream of one day becoming a pediatrician. He hopes to bring his  medical skills to third world countries to provide necessary medical attention to children. As an immigrant activist, Emmanuel works tirelessly to promote and inform people about the DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act through social networks, and his volunteer work in hospitals, Habitat for Humanity and around the city of Dallas have helped him gain useful skills that will carry him to success in the future. In reference to the American Dream, Emmanuel cites the “sweat, blood and tears” that his mother and many others endure to have a chance of a better life. However, he also believes that he was “brought to the United States to pursue the American Dream by taking every opportunity and using his sweat, blood and tears to become the best he can be.”

Personal Statement

Scholarship Essay

The Akash Kuruvilla Memorial Scholarship Fund Selection Committee is proud to announce the winners of the second annual Akash Kuruvilla Memorial Scholarship:

Dhara Vyas is a 2009 graduate of Egg Harbor Township High School and will be attending New York University in the fall. A proven leader in her community who is driven by her passion for diversity, Dhara plans to major in Peace and Conflict Resolutions. Dhara has been heavily involved with more than 14 leadership, cultural, service, and academic extracurricular activities at her high school and her community. She believes that the American Dream is about “lessons, choices, hard work, diligence, and acceptance, but not complacency. You have to make choices, learn from your mistakes, work hard to improve yourself and accept what life throws at you, but constantly work to better yourself.” Dhara’s confidence and determination will truly lead her to make positive changes as she embarks on her collegiate journey.

Click Here to read her Personal Statement & Application Essay

Cesar Rivas is a 2009 graduate from Azusa High School and will be attending University of California-Berkeley in the Fall. Despite having to face numerous obstacles in his life, Cesar has developed crucial leadership skills that he uses to positively influence his peers at school and in the community. With the constant support of his mother and other family members, Cesar has reached his goal of being accepted into a top-notch institution of higher education. However, he understands that his future “will be filled with a lot more obstacles in the road, obstacles that are essential in order to continue pursuing (his) dreams as they have taught (him) to grow up, mature and overcome them in order to move on with life.” Cesar will undoubtedly be able to overcome these obstacles with the same optimism that has led him to his current success.

Click Here to read his Personal Statement & Application Essay

Cesar Rivas is a 2009 graduate from Azusa High School and will be attending University of California-Berkeley in the Fall. Despite having to face numerous obstacles in his life, Cesar has developed crucial leadership skills that he uses to positively influence his peers at school and in the community. With the constant support of his mother and other family members, Cesar has reached his goal of being accepted into a top-notch institution of higher education. However, he understands that his future “will be filled with a lot more obstacles in the road, obstacles that are essential in order to continue pursuing (his) dreams as they have taught (him) to grow up, mature and overcome them in order to move on with life.” Cesar will undoubtedly be able to overcome these obstacles with the same optimism that has led him to his current success.

Personal Statement

Scholarship Essay

Dhara Vyas is a 2009 graduate of Egg Harbor Township High School and will be attending New York University in the fall. A proven leader in her community who is driven by her passion for diversity, Dhara plans to major in Peace and Conflict Resolutions. Dhara has been heavily involved with more than 14 leadership, cultural, service, and academic extracurricular activities at her high school and her community. She believes that the American Dream is about “lessons, choices, hard work, diligence, and acceptance, but not complacency. You have to make choices, learn from your mistakes, work hard to improve yourself and accept what life throws at you, but constantly work to better yourself.” Dhara’s confidence and determination will truly lead her to make positive changes as she embarks on her collegiate journey.

Personal Statement

Scholarship Essay

The first annual Akash Kuruvilla Memorial Scholarship Banquet was held on August 16, 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida. Family and friends gathered for a night of remembrance which paid a tribute to the life of Akash Kuruvilla as well as celebrated the first winners of the annual scholarship.

Our first scholarship recipients exemplify the ideals of the fund, and we are encouraged by their stories.

Fred Roger served five years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps upon graduating from high school. He reached the rank of Sergeant, received numerous awards and achievements from the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged after multiple combat tours to Iraq. In addition to his numerous extracurricular activities, Fred remains committed to his family, including his wife of six years, his three-year old daughter and his younger brother, who he has encouraged to join the Marines. Fred will attend Nova Southeastern University to pursue an undergraduate degree in the Business and Entrepreneurship Program. He plans to start an assortment of businesses with fellow former Marines and friends so that he can provide a good life his family.

Click Here to read his Application Essay

Graciela Nobles was burned in a house fire in the Andes of Bolivia when she was only 30 months old and refused to allow obstacles to hold her back. She was transferred to Lima, Peru for medical treatment from Food for the Hungry, and a nurse who worked for the organization adopted her. Graciela began to fundraise for the Foundation for Burns and Trauma at an early age and continues to advocate that cause by attending and speaking at conventions that address burn prevention. Her experience with mission trips to Peru taught her the importance of service to others as she helped clean up parks, paint churches and lay concrete for schools. Although she left her village in the Andes at a very young age, she hopes to find her birth family to thank them for giving her a life she could not have had in Bolivia. Graciela will attend Colorado Christian University and hopes to become a teacher. She also hopes to become a missionary like her mother and help underprivileged children around the world.

Click Here to read her Personal Statement & Application Essay

After the scholarship winners were recognized, individuals who knew Akash in various capacities shared memories and thoughts about his life. The evening was capped by a touching performance by Mohsin Hussain, Jaime Paredes and Nabil Tahan, Brothers of Sigma Beta Rho Fraternity, and a sentimental slideshow presentation reminded banquet attendees that this scholarship isn’t just about the awards that are given to assist young leaders in pursuing their dreams but also a tribute to the life of Akash Kuruvilla.

Graciela Nobles was burned in a house fire in the Andes of Bolivia when she was only 30 months old and refused to allow obstacles to hold her back. She was transferred to Lima, Peru for medical treatment from Food for the Hungry, and a nurse who worked for the organization adopted her. Graciela began to fundraise for the Foundation for Burns and Trauma at an early age and continues to advocate that cause by attending and speaking at conventions that address burn prevention. Her experience with mission trips to Peru taught her the importance of service to others as she helped clean up parks, paint churches and lay concrete for schools. Although she left her village in the Andes at a very young age, she hopes to find her birth family to thank them for giving her a life she could not have had in Bolivia. Graciela will attend Colorado Christian University and hopes to become a teacher. She also hopes to become a missionary like her mother and help underprivileged children around the world.

Personal Statement

Scholarship Essay

Fred Roger served five years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps upon graduating from high school. He reached the rank of Sergeant, received numerous awards and achievements from the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged after multiple combat tours to Iraq. In addition to his numerous extracurricular activities, Fred remains committed to his family, including his wife of six years, his three-year old daughter and his younger brother, who he has encouraged to join the Marines. Fred will attend Nova Southeastern University to pursue an undergraduate degree in the Business and Entrepreneurship Program. He plans to start an assortment of businesses with fellow former Marines and friends so that he can provide a good life his family.

Personal Statement

Scholarship Essay