We are proud to congratulate our 2017 Ethiopian Heritage College Scholarship recipient, Rackeb Mered. Rackeb celebrated this wonderful achievement with us on August 17, 2017.
Rackeb impressed us first with her very qualified application and second with her touching essay. Rackeb Mered was born in the United States shortly after her parents emigrated from Ethiopia. She was raised in Alexandria, Virginia where she most recently attended Hayfield High School. Her resume includes multiple Advance Placement classes including, physics, Spanish, history, and calculus. She also found time during her rigorous course schedule to participate in several honor societies including the Spanish Honors Society. Her favorite aspect of Hayfield was the multicultural focus and activities that exposed her to new traditions, food, customs, and music. With all of this on her plate, she still managed to earn nearly straight A’s throughout her high school career.
In her essay, Rackeb discussed her passion for public service. While she was in high school a close cousin passed away. After his death she learned of a secret life he chose not to share with his family. He volunteered in prisons and homeless shelters to bring companionship and hope to those in need. He did this solely out of a need to give back and not to win praise. Rackeb was inspired by her cousin’s selflessness and with the help of her family she created a foundation in his honor. The foundation’s goal is to help the homeless and others in need of basic necessities and guidance.
Rackeb is attending Duke University this fall. Her major is currently undecided. She is interested in political science and economics, and she plans to explore introductory classes to see what majors might eventually suit her best. We are honored to help support Rackeb’s education through the Ethiopian Heritage Scholarship Award, and we look forward to watching and supporting her bright educational future!
To read Rackeb’s inspiring essay click here, and if you know of any bright high school seniors, please send them to our website next spring to apply for the 2018 scholarship!