Ma Kaing Scholarship Fund - 2023

Donations received after October 31, 2023 will go towards the 2024 scholarship fund. 

We were pleased to award scholarships through the 2023 Ma Kaing Scholarship Fund to eight deserving students in a large and highly competitive pool of applicants. The ambitious scholarship recipients are pursuing degrees in computer science, horticulture, pre-nursing, science (physician assistant), accounting, and social work!  

(Left to right: Melany, G.G., Jacobo Mejia Jimenez, and Dah Ku)

Here are inspiring reflections from some of the 2023 awardees:

 "Receiving the Ma Kaing Scholarship is a game-changer for me. It's not just a financial boost; it's a sigh of relief. Now, I can cut down on part-time work, allowing me to channel that time and energy into acing my classes." -Jacobo 

"Being 1 out of 8 individuals who was awarded the scholarship speaks volumes because it is a reminder that my dreams are attainable and realistic and essential to continue strengthening our communities."-G 

"The Ma Kaing Scholarship not only aids my educational journey but also empowers me to amplify the voices of marginalized individuals, contributing to a more equitable and compassionate future through my work in social justice." -Alberto

"Being a Ma Kaing Scholarship recipient means putting others before yourself sometimes, it means standing up for your community and helping those around you to achieve their perception of success. It means that beyond our challenges and obstacles, we have the resilience to grow for one's self and the community, as we are one." -Melany 

More About The Fund:

Individuals who are refugees or immigrants face numerous barriers to graduating high school and attaining a post-secondary credential at a college, university, or other higher education institution. The Ma Kaing Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to help highly-driven immigrants and refugees who are connected to Colorado and entering an institution of higher learning offset costs related to attaining a degree or credential. 

The Ma Kaing Scholarship Fund was originally established by the Refugee Action Coalition of Colorado and its member organizations, the International Rescue Committee in Denver, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, and Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning. It is named in honor of Ma Kaing, a beloved refugee community leader and mother of four, who was senselessly killed by a stray bullet while unloading groceries near her home in Denver's East Colfax neighborhood in July 2022

Thanks to the generosity of over 900 community members, we were pleased to provide 22 scholarships in 2022. Some information about a few of the recipients and their educational dreams follows. 

• Amel is gaining a credential to work as a special education teacher serving students with disabilities.
• Rozina is working towards a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering and hopes to create better interpretation technology to help people who speak rare languages, such as her native language of Rohingya.
• Basiesi is a pre-medical student and hopes to become a neurosurgeon, specializing in treating brain cancer in children.
  
  
• Soad used her scholarship funds toward an English as a Second Language training in order to better help those in her community strengthen their English skills.

Special thanks to our friend Kyle Clark offering up a Word of Thanks from Next on 9NEWS and matching the first $250 in donations to the fund for a second year in a row!

Also read about the fund in Denverite: Local nonprofits offer scholarships for post-secondary education in honor of Ma Kaing

(Photo of Ma Kaing courtesy of Michelle Christiance Photography. Photo of several 2022 scholarship recipients with stewards of the fund from Spring Institute and IRC in Denver and Kyle Clark of 9NEWS courtesy of Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning.)