COMMUNITY IMPACT
CATCHING UP WITH MEG GRAHAM SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS By Jacqueline Bauer
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or more than three decades, the Junior League of Washington (JLW) has awarded an annual $10,000 scholarship to college-bound students with a passion for volunteering and who show a promise of achievement in college. The Meg Graham Scholarship was established in 1982 in honor of the Reverend Margaret Graham, a former president of the Association of Junior Leagues International and a former member of the JLW. The application is open to any high school senior who is a DC resident attending public, charter, private or parochial high school and who has been admitted to an accredited four-year post-secondary institution. Candidates for the scholarship must supply a resume of public service, a transcript with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, two letters of recommendation and two essays. Finalists also participate in a half-hour interview. The process is very competitive and the winners are always impressive. 3039M wanted to check in with some recent scholarship recipients to see what they’ve been up to on campus and ask about the impact the award has had on their education goals:
JIONI TUCK, 2015 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT College: College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia Major: International Relations Things I Enjoy On Campus: My favorite part of college is my freshman seminar, “Critiquing the American Dream.” It is discussion-based and we talk about inequality in America. It is one of my smallest classes, and I have made a lot of friends in the class. What Winning This Scholarship Means To Me: My Junior League scholarship has given me the opportunity to try new activities
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regardless of cost. I am playing club softball, am in the International Relations Club, am going on a service trip to Nicaragua and I plan to participate in Model UN conferences. All of these activities cost money and since my tuition is partially paid for, I can pay the club dues and participate in the activities. Favorite Quote Inspiring College Success: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” —Nelson Mandela
EKRAM JIRU, 2014 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT College: Pomona College, Claremont CA Major: Undeclared, considering Economics or International Relations Things I Enjoy On Campus: Pomona has been a great learning experience. I have met a lot of people who have challenged me and motivated me to change my views on a lot of issues. Through Pomona programs, I have been able to give back to my community and think critically about how I can use my education to help others. What Winning This Scholarship Means To Me: My Junior League scholarship has been a blessing. Because I have enough funds for personal expenses, I have not had to work while going to school. This allows me to focus on my schoolwork and the different organizations I am involved with on campus. Favorite Quote Inspiring College Success: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’” —Eleanor Roosevelt