Scholarship Winners 2025
Thanks to your donations, the Straus Historical Society is pleased to announce that Serena Chow, Melanie Franceschini, Shiyi Huang, Sophie Liebel, and Amal Roble have been selected to each receive a $5,000 Straus Scholarship. The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service.
Serena Chow
Serena Chow is enrolled at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University pursuing a Masters with a concentration in International Security and International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. Serena is eager to utilize her Chinese language skills and experiences abroad to pursue opportunities in policy advising and foreign reporting in the Indo Pacific. She is also eager to explore policy advising in the Indo-Pacific and strategic policy analysis at think tank centers. In her career, she hopes to contribute the tenacity gained from her journalism experience to advance policy discussions and prioritize humanitarian efforts both domestically and abroad.
Melanie Franceschini
Melanie Franceschini is enrolled at the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy pursuing a Doctorate in Policy, Planning and Development. Melanie aspires to be a City Manager focused on sound financial policy. She believes that the best approach to the needs of a community is to listen and learn from community members, to then allocate the appropriate resources and take physical action to solve the problem collaboratively. She is also interested in further giving back to the community as an adjunct practicing professor, passing on the lessons she has learned in the classroom, as well as professionally, to other aspiring public servant leaders. Melanie is a first generation American who experienced firsthand the government systems that assisted her family. She hopes to give back by providing the same, or better, opportunities for others that find themselves in need.
Shiyi Huang
Shiyi Huang is enrolled at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs pursuing Master of Public Administration. Shiyi aspires to become a policy-maker and public servant in order to create policies and programs that address systemic issues, empower marginalized communities, and foster a more equitable society. She hopes to address homelessness and the needs of the elderly in the community. Having lived in both the United States and China, she brings a unique bicultural perspective to her studies and professional aspirations.
Sophie Liebel
Sophie Liebel is enrolled at American University School of International Service pursuing a dual Masters degree in International Relations and Natural Resources and Sustainable Development. Sophie hopes to work as a policy analyst for a municipal government, a non-profit, or an NGO working on urban environmental policy. Specifically, she wants to create equitable funding pathways for improving and expanding urban park space and general green space coverage in low-income areas and minority communities. Her goal is to direct funding towards improving park infrastructure and facilities, engaging in relevant habitat restoration efforts to support urban biodiversity, and funding environmental stewardship and skill-building programs that train the next generation of diverse environmental stewards.
Amal Roble
Amal Roble is enrolled at University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy pursuing a Master's Degree in Healthcare Administration. Amal's goal is to leverage her education to address pressing social issues in healthcare, particularly the disparities that low-income and marginalized communities face. Her focus is on public service through roles in government, nonprofit organizations, and healthcare systems to improve access, affordability, and quality of care. To address these issues, she plans to implement evidence based strategies that improve health outcomes by focusing on patient education, community support, and policy reform. In the future Amal plans to complement her MHA with a law degree to further expand her impact in public service. As a first-generation student, Amal has understood the challenges of achieving her goals and has taken steps to ameliorate some of the conditions she and her family have faced, particularly in healthcare, though education and advocacy
Scholarship Winners 2024
Thanks to your donations, the Straus Historical Society is pleased to announce that William Cano, Kelechi Dimgba, Sarala Duckworth, Ariana Lippi, and Carina Ritcheson have been selected to each receive a $5,000 Straus Scholarship. The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service.
William Cano
William Cano is enrolled at American University School of International Service pursuing a Master of International Affairs with a concentration in Global Governance, Politics, and Security. William is a United States Army Veteran and proud Mexican immigrant. William is driven by a desire to bridge cultural divides through informed and compassionate policy-making. At American, William has had the opportunity to engage in dialogues on inclusivity and equity, further fueling his ambition to effect change within the military structure and beyond. He aspires to establish training systems that broaden the perspectives of military personnel, promoting an understanding of cultural differences as a national asset. His ultimate aspiration is to become an ambassador, a role that symbolizes his commitment to public service and international cooperation.
Kelechi Dimgba
Kelechi Dimgba is enrolled at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs pursuing a Master of International Affairs with a concentration on Urban and Social Policy and a specialization in International Organization and U.N. Studies. Kelechi is a first-generation American and believes her biracial identity is crucial to defending human rights, as it gives her a unique perspective on complicated social issues. Her goal is to continue to develop solutions and policies to advocate for underserved international populations and to motivate health organizations to change the way they serve communities. She hopes to become a U.S. Agency for International Development Foreign Service Officer where she can apply both technical knowledge and a variety of program design, management, and evaluation expertise. She would like to develop policies that hire more women of color in healthcare.
Sarala Duckworth
Sarala Duckworth is enrolled at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs pursuing Master of Public Administration with a concentration in International Development Practice. This concentration is a small STEM-designated program drawing civil servants from countries around the world seeking to drive impact on sustainable development. Sarala’s mission is to revitalize mass global attention and government investment in eradicating extreme poverty through her public service. Her early career experience in international and domestic non-profits exposed her to the political choices at the heart of eradicating poverty. Her calling is to challenge mischaracterizations of extreme poverty as inevitable and immutable.
Ariana Lippi
Ariana Lippi is enrolled at American University School of International Service pursuing a Master of Global Environmental Policy with a concentration in Policy and Law. Ariana has focused on the connection between gender-based violence and environmental injustices. They seek to understand the inextricability of the climate crisis with issues of inclusion, justice, and conflict, and strive to foster a more sustainable future for all. Ariana plans to enter federal service, as they believe it is one of the most impactful ways that they can contribute to public needs, keep communities safe from environmental risks and address environmental injustices.
Carina Ritcheson
Carina Ritcheson is enrolled at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University pursuing a Master of Law and Diplomacy with a concentration in International Security and Comparative Regional Studies. Carina’s goal is to defend American democracy and make the world a safer place. She hopes that she can do her part so that our humanitarians can respond to disasters, our soldiers have the intel they need going into conflict, our diplomats have a confident reputation to count on, Americans know they and their loved ones are as safe as they can be in a dangerous world. She will be interning at USINDOPACOM in Hawaii this summer working with both the J5 Directorate and the Foreign Policy Advisor.
The scholarship committee and the judges are pleased to announce Bridgette Lang and Santiago Taborga as Honorary Straus Scholars for 2024.
Scholarship Winners 2023
Thanks to your donations, the Straus Historical Society is pleased to announce that Bukuru Anastazie, Lok Darjee, Emily Daroga, and Eliza Fairbrother have been selected to each receive a $5,000 Straus Scholarship. The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service.
Bukuru Anastazie
Bukuru Anastazie is enrolled at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs pursuing a Master of International Affairs and a Juris Doctor in International Human Rights Law. She is specializing in the geographic region of Sub-Saharan Africa. Growing up in a refugee camp in Tanzania, Bukuru witnessed the consequences of weak political institutions and anarchy arising from a lack of proper social services. She hopes to become a policymaker for the African Union developing regional policies and laws to facilitate economic, political, and cultural exchanges across the African continent. She also hopes to become a constitutional lawyer, working with African nations, helping them develop more vigorous and resilient constitutions that will adapt to changing times while ensuring a system of checks and balances to promote accountability from governmental officials.
Lok Darjee
Lok Darjee is enrolled at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs pursing a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Economic and Political Development. As a first-generation refugee student from Nepal, he used his experience to create a non-profit organization called Project Refugee Education to mentor refugee students in Idaho and Utah. Project Refugee Education has helped more than one hundred students attend universities, community colleges and technical schools. Lok has been recognized by national and international organizations and institutes for his advocacy in reforming refugees’ education and reducing related inequalities. He hopes to work with the United Nations Education Department or for an educational think tank to raise concerns and to seek a means to facilitate refugee education.
Emily Daroga
Emily Daroga is enrolled at American University School of International Service pursuing a degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution with a concentration in Reconciliation and Justice. She is seeking to understand how to maintain the humanity of people across political and identity-related differences while also addressing socioeconomic inequality. Her experience as an elementary school teacher at a Title I school helped concentrate her focus on class and income-related issues. Emily wants to help improve working conditions and compensation for those working in the most essential jobs: farmers, educators, garment factory workers, etc., by supporting labor advocacy efforts through journalism or by working as a union organizer. She hopes to work on strategic research, as an organizer for local unions, or with international labor rights organizations.
Eliza Fairbrother
Eliza Fairbrother is enrolled at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs pursing a Master of Public Administration with a focus on International Conflict Resolution, Human Rights, and Economic Policy. As a result of experiences working with women’s networks in Colombia, and with the organization, Radical Flexibility Fund, Eliza’s ambition is to be a part of creating a necessary paradigm shift within the international funding system so that local actors are supported and empowered to develop their own solutions for building and sustaining peace. Her ultimate goal is to work within the US foreign assistance framework or at a major U.S. foundation or INGO where she can contribute to advancing innovative financing strategies and developing trust-based partnerships with grassroots organizations and change makers working to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
The scholarship committee and the judges are pleased to announce Claire Callahan and Safiya Noel as Honorary Straus Scholars for 2023.
Scholarship Winners 2022
Thanks to your donations, the Straus Historical Society is pleased to announce that Rachel Joy Boakye, Ania Ruiz Borys, Amy P. Lyons, and Richard Stecker have been selected to each receive a $5,000 Straus Scholarship. The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service.
Rachel Joy Boakye
Rachel Joy Boakye is a graduate student at American University School of International Service where she is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Global Governance, Politics and Security. Upon completing her degree, she hopes to become a diplomat-lawyer with the United Nations or United States Department of State. Rachel has always been passionate about solving the migration crisis and helping refugees from around the globe. She plans to start a nonprofit in Washington D.C. called International Freedom Relief. The organization’s goal will be to help refugees and migrants whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict or disaster that has caused them to be displaced. Her dream is to use a career in public service to positively impact the lives of those who need help the most.
Ania Ruiz Borys
Ania Ruiz Borys is a graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University where she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy. She is also pursuing a Master of Science in Food and Nutrition Policy at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She is concentrating on Human Security, International Conflict Resolution, Gender Analysis and Food Systems. Ania, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico, is particularly interested in working to change how food is used to educate people about culture, economics, gender, biology, politics, love and more. She aspires to join the world of public service where she can create innovative solutions.
Amy P. Lyons
Amy P. Lyons is a graduate student at American University School of International Service and American University Washington College of Law where she is pursuing both a degree in Law and a Master of Arts in International Studies. She is specializing her studies on peace and conflict resolution, and international law with a concentration towards atrocity prevention and humanitarian rights. Amy, whose early childhood was spent in Malaysia, did not learn English until she moved to Maine with her family when she was a child. She experienced culture shock, which severely affected her education and self-esteem. Amy would like to create a program for language learners and immigrants that would help Asian immigrants adjust to their new life in the United States. Although she may start with the Asian community, she dreams of expanding her work to serve many other underserved and underrepresented communities.
Richard Stecker
Richard Stecker is a graduate student at American University where he is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in United States Foreign Policy and National Security. He plans to join the FBI or the Foreign Service to represent the United States abroad. He would like to protect the United States from foreign or domestic threats, while also maintaining an unwavering sense of integrity and historical knowledge of incidents. In this manner he would be able to make a positive contribution to the public good. Richard has a desire to do his best possible work on behalf of the nation. To do so would be a recognition that he is a part of something much greater than one individual.
The scholarship committee and the judges are pleased to announce John Farah and Sam Cheuk-Hin Hau as Honorary Straus Scholars for 2022.
Scholarship Winners 2021
Thanks to your donations, the Straus Historical Society is pleased to announce that Danielle Bertaux, Dillon Cooke, Iris Hinh and Miriam Israel have been selected to each receive a $5,000 Straus Scholarship. The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service.
Danielle Bertaux
Danielle Bertaux is a graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University where she is pursuing a Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy with a concentration in Public International Law and Human Security focused in Latin America. She is specializing her studies on human rights and she is particularly interested in learning about gender-based violence and sexual violence in situations of armed conflict and humanitarian crises. She aspires to join the U.S. Department of State as a political officer in a specialized track as a human rights officer. She hopes to focus on gender-based issues and problems of sexual violence including sex trafficking and femicide.
Dillon Cooke
Dillon Cooke is a graduate student at the School of International Service at American University where he is seeking a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Public Policy with elements of healthcare policy, international management, and regulatory administration. He hopes that his work will effect the reorientation and prioritization of foreign aid funding in a manner that proactively targets the causes of emerging issues, including climate change, immigration, and international security, with public investments rather than responding to the symptoms of these issues. After completing his degree, he hopes to secure a full time job with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs where he can most effectively apply his analytical skills and research background to implement policy change on a systemic scale.
Iris Hinh
Iris Hinh is a graduate student at the Teachers College at Columbia University where she is seeking a Masters Degree in Politics and Education. She is developing her academic foundation in preparation for policy leadership roles within government agencies, foundations, and research. She hopes to work in Washington DC to integrate conducting original research with advocacy to both policymakers and individuals for broader impact on the education system. She also plans to obtain her teaching credential for middle or high school history and government, as she believes that educators are often the most influential actors on students’ academic achievement and well-being.
Miriam Israel
Miriam Israel is a graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University where she is pursuing a Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy and a Masters of Theological Studies with a concentration in International Development and Environmental Policy and Gender and Intersectional Analysis. She believes that the biggest problem facing society is climate change, and specifically, the way that a changing climate will disproportionately impact women, young people, ethnic, religious, and indigenous minorities and other marginalized communities. She hopes to work with communities around the world to address climate change, helping prepare faith communities to be leaders on issues like conservation and sustainability and giving local leaders tools to address climate change.
The scholarship committee and the judges are pleased to announce these applicants as Honorary Straus Scholars for 2021: Kelly Boehms, Alexis Cheney, Liana Kabins, Sara Lodgen, Christopher Tingley.
Scholarship Winners 2020
Thanks to donations to SHS, the Straus Historical Society is pleased to announce that Corey Best, Caitlin Flynn and Kristy Kwon have been selected to each receive a $5,000 Straus Scholarship. The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service. To read their applications essays, click here.
Corey Best
Corey Best is a graduate student at American University’s School of International Service where he is pursuing a master’s degree in International Affairs with a concentration in Global Governance, Politics and Security. Corey feels public service is a calling for which he has been preparing is entire life. He asks the question, “Why?” as a guiding light on his journey. Corey’s background is quasi-military, having joined the Civil Air Patrol at 12 and participated in the Air Force ROTC program at Ohio University. These disciplined, value-based, task oriented, experiences have prepared him for a life of public service. He wrote, “The opportunity to contribute to the field of public service would be nothing short of an honor and privilege.”
Caitlin Flynn
Caitlin Flynn is a graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University where she is preparing for a degree in Gender Analysis and Human Security. From a young age, Caitlin has believed in the importance of public service and education. Her experiences in the Peace Corps in Benin as a secondary school English teacher reinforced her ambition to make a difference through effective thoughtful, nuanced, data driven programming. During her studies at Tufts University, she’s “honed her research skills, studied theoretical frameworks and has identified several steps for addressing barriers for education.” She anticipates that her graduate studies, aided by the SHS scholarship, will ensure that her positive intentions produce equally positive impacts.
Kristy Kwon
Kristy Kwon is a graduate student at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs where she is preparing for a career in Public Administration with a concentration in Economics. She hopes to begin her career in the United States Department of Education’s Office of Evidence-Based Practices as a research analyst. Kristy feels she is uniquely qualified to help people from underprivileged communities because she moved to the United States with her family as a child and experienced first-hand the difficulties for immigrants who do not speak the language and are unable to find adequate living conditions or nourishing food. She is particularly interested in how economic analysis and human rights organizations can collaborate to produce research for firms to devise reasonable standards in the workplace and to suggest steps to reduce gender discrimination.
The scholarship committee and the judges are pleased to announce these applicants as Honorary Straus Scholars for 2020: Gabrielle Robertson, Benjamin Drolet, Crystal Avila, Garrett Berghoff, Ihechiluru Esuruonye and Matthew Tyler Dean.
Scholarship Winners 2019
Elizabeth Alexion
The Straus Historical Society is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Alexion of Brooklyn, NY and Elizabeth Hutcheson of Dublin, OH have been selected to each receive a $5,000 Straus Scholarship. The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service. Elizabeth Alexion and Elizabeth Hutcheson are the second and third recipients of the Straus Scholarship.
Elizabeth Alexion is a graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University where her focus is International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution; and Gender Analysis in International Studies. She was a Peace Corps Intern in Ethiopia, teaching secondary education working for women’s protection and empowerment. Elizabeth hopes to pursue a career in foreign policy as it relates to conflict resolution and sustainable peace-building.
Elizabeth Alexion is a graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University where her focus is International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution; and Gender Analysis in International Studies. She was a Peace Corps Intern in Ethiopia, teaching secondary education working for women’s protection and empowerment. Elizabeth hopes to pursue a career in foreign policy as it relates to conflict resolution and sustainable peace-building.
Elizabeth Hutcheson
Elizabeth Hutcheson is a graduate student at the School of International Service at American University whose focus is on Global Migration and International Policy. Elizabeth has had extensive experience tutoring Spanish and Arabic speaking children one-on-one with an emphasis on reading skills. She implemented Global Classrooms, a Model UN program, as a Fulbright Scholar. She plans to work in the public sector, addressing the most pressing challenges and opportunities on international migration
The scholarship committee and the judges are pleased to announce these applicants as Honorary Straus Scholars for 2019: Bonnie Delaune, Columbia University; Nicholas Cicchinelli, Tufts University; Sophia Ng, Columbia University; Kelly Fagerman, Columbia University.
The scholarship committee and the judges are pleased to announce these applicants as Honorary Straus Scholars for 2019: Bonnie Delaune, Columbia University; Nicholas Cicchinelli, Tufts University; Sophia Ng, Columbia University; Kelly Fagerman, Columbia University.
Scholarship Winner 2018
Rachel King
The Straus Historical Society is pleased to announce that Rachel King of Liberty Township, Ohio, has been selected to receive a $5,000 Scholarship.
A graduate student of the School of International Service at American University in Washington, D.C., Ms. King impressed an independent award committee with her essay and resume, which includes a five-year contract with the Foreign Service as a Pickering Fellow after her expected graduation in 2019. She has proven eminently qualified for the Straus Scholarship Program, and the Straus Historical Society is proud to award this scholarship to Ms. King.
The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service. Rachel King is the first recipient of the Straus Scholarship.
Ms. King received her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University where she participated in summer service trips to Uganda, Israel and Cambodia, as well as an internship for World Vision in Washington, D.C. Ms. King is a Fulbright Scholar currently attending graduate school at American University. Using a grant from her Fulbright scholarship, she lived and taught in rural Malaysia for a year. Ms. King plans to become a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department after graduate school. In her application, Ms. King stated that she hopes: “…to draw greater attention to the compelling crossovers between diplomacy and development fields, to urge policymakers to prioritize development as a diplomacy tool, and to facilitate stronger collaboration and coordination across religious, political and nonprofit leaders.”
A graduate student of the School of International Service at American University in Washington, D.C., Ms. King impressed an independent award committee with her essay and resume, which includes a five-year contract with the Foreign Service as a Pickering Fellow after her expected graduation in 2019. She has proven eminently qualified for the Straus Scholarship Program, and the Straus Historical Society is proud to award this scholarship to Ms. King.
The Straus Historical Society Scholarship Program was created with the goal of supporting the continuing education of a graduate student whose professional goal is in the field of public service. Rachel King is the first recipient of the Straus Scholarship.
Ms. King received her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University where she participated in summer service trips to Uganda, Israel and Cambodia, as well as an internship for World Vision in Washington, D.C. Ms. King is a Fulbright Scholar currently attending graduate school at American University. Using a grant from her Fulbright scholarship, she lived and taught in rural Malaysia for a year. Ms. King plans to become a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department after graduate school. In her application, Ms. King stated that she hopes: “…to draw greater attention to the compelling crossovers between diplomacy and development fields, to urge policymakers to prioritize development as a diplomacy tool, and to facilitate stronger collaboration and coordination across religious, political and nonprofit leaders.”