My name is May Tran and I received the 2023 Stanley Ann Dunham Scholarship. I am about a week into my first quarter at the Seattle Campus of the University of Washington and it’s been surprisingly fun! I am majoring in biochemistry on a pre-dentistry track and have found my professors to be funny and the lectures interesting, but physics is giving me a bit of a headache. I’m super excited to see what the rest of my year will look like, but my one tip to new freshmen is that your year is really what you make out of it. Even though I’m commuting this year, I find that you can still have that “college experience” as long as you put yourself out there and try new things.

My name is Jaya Manhas and I am a 2023 Stanley Ann Dunham scholarship recipient. I am currently attending Chapman University in Orange County, California as a Business Marketing major! So far in my first semester, I have been enjoying the amazing SoCal weather, playing with the tennis team, and making new friends. I really enjoy the classes I am taking, especially Business Communication. A piece of advice I would give to high school seniors that are preparing for college is to be disciplined with your work so you can find a balance with social and personal life.

I’m Angeline and was a Stanley Ann Dunham scholarship recipient for 2023. Currently, I am attending Tulane University in New Orleans, LA and am absolutely enjoying it so far! Although I know I will be pre-dental, I am exploring more majors on campus because we get so many different options. I joined a few clubs and Alpha Phi Omega, which is a co-ed service fraternity (definitely recommend)! Although freshman year is known to be tough, seeing things positively with an open mindset helps a lot. I am looking forward to the rest of my few years here and best of luck to all high school seniors applying to scholarships and colleges.

My name is Olivia and I was a Stanley Ann Dunham scholarship recipient in 2022. I am currently attending the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa as a marine biology major and I am loving it so far! My first semester was very difficult for me because I was taking all STEM classes, but this semester is a little lighter which means I have more time to socialize with my friends and connect with other people in my major. A piece of advice I would give to high school seniors preparing for college is to spend your first semester finding a routine that allows you to have a healthy academic and social life!

Last year’s scholarship winners, Holly Waggoner and Rose Guttman with Maya Soetoro-Ng, sister of President Barack Obama, daughter of Stanley Ann Dunham

Apply to the Stanley Ann Dunham Scholarship NOW! There’s still time-app is due on 2/28.

Applications are available at stanleyanndunhamfund.org, your college counselors’ offices and washboard.org

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Governor Jay Inslee, Maya Soetoro-Ng and 2016 applicants at the 2016 Scholarship Ceremony

On Saturday, May 21^st, the Stanley Ann Dunham Fund granted scholarships to graduating seniors Holly Waggoner and Rose Guttman from Mercer Island High School, the same high school that Stanley Ann Dunham graduated from in 1960. The fund also presented a monetary award to graduating senior Sumaya Mohamed from the University of Washington, the winner of this year’s UW/Dunham Essay Contest.

At the Ceremony we welcomed two very special guests: our keynote Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng, Stanley Ann Dunham’s daughter and President Barack Obama’s sister, and Governor Jay Inslee.

Governor Inslee opened the ceremony by proudly congratulating Mercer Island for its high school’s distinguished alumna, Stanley Ann Dunham. “Because of her life” he said, “700,000 people in our state have health care today.” He was referring to the number of people who have been able to acquire health care under President Obama’s new health care laws.

Our guest speaker, Dr. Maya Soeteoro-Ng, shares her brother’s dedication to public service and their mother’s passion for global citizenship and social justice. A professor of peace education and conflict resolution at the University of Hawaii, Dr. Soetoro-Ng speaks worldwide about her peace initiatives.

Dr. Soetoro-Ng feels a strong connection with Mercer Island. She spoke about how her mother’s years growing up on Mercer Island influenced her: “It gave her enough of a sense of community, spirituality and grounded-ness that she was brave enough to go off to Indonesia,” she said.

Dr. Soetoro-Ng candidly shared her own experiences as a mother of two young girls. She especially moved the audience when she spoke about her adopted daughter. Her speech was followed by a Q and A, where we learned more about her teaching and childhood in Indonesia. Although Dr. Soetoro-Ng’s speech was geared towards the teen applicants to the Scholarship, she inspired everyone in the room.

Finally the big moment arrived: it was time to announce the winners of the Scholarship. Board members Susie Rosenstein and Maxine Box recognized the accomplishments of each of the five finalists, who have volunteered to improve living conditions and opportunities in the areas of education, gender equality, homelessness and public health. The five finalists were the finalists were Eliana Grosoff, Megan Lee, Piper Casey, and this year’s scholars, Holly Waggoner and Rose Guttman.

For the second consecutive year, the Fund presented an award to the winner of an essay contest held by the University of Washington Anthropology Department. The winner, senior Sumaya Mohamed, plans to pursue work with vulnerable populations in global public health. 

Ellena Jones and Rachel Gallagher

On May 3, 2014, Mercer Island High School graduating seniors Ellena Jones and Rachel Gallagher were each awarded $5,000 scholarships at the fifth annual Stanley Ann Dunham Scholarship Award Ceremony  at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center. Each year, the Fund recognizes outstanding MIHS female graduating students who demonstrate Stanley Ann Dunham’s commitment to academic achievement, serving marginalized communities, and empowering women around the world.

Rachel Gallagher began volunteering as a sophomore to help children with special needs after reading an inspiring article about a Mercer Island organization called Friendship Circle of Washington. Realizing the stigma surrounding the special needs students at MIHS, she decided to create “Lunch Buddies” to ensure that these students have companions to eat with at lunch. Her knowledge and passion deepened after she spent a summer at Seattle Children’s Hospital researching autism and assisting patients and their families. Her plans for the future include Carleton College and then medical school where she hopes to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by autism. In her own words, “The marginalizing impact of autism makes it my goal to return to Seattle Children’s someday as a psychiatrist. As I take the next steps towards this dream…I will emulate Stanley Ann by dedicating myself to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by autism.”

Hilary Sparrow

Ellena Jones has developed an independence and self-advocacy discipline that has guided her through her life. She has held numerous positions of responsibility in her volunteering activities with Mercer Island Youth and Family Services, Natural Helpers, and Seattle Music Partners in addition to an excellent academic record. According to her high school guidance counselor, Ellena epitomizes perseverance and strength in the midst of adversity. She has proven to be a natural leader in her musical pursuits as well, acting as section leader and playing saxophone in the Jazz Ensemble. Ellena plans to major in social work in college. “I want to empower others in the way I have had to motivate myself to overcome poverty, foster care and homelessness. I hope to be that mother figure for others, especially children, living in difficult situations.”

Our guest speakers this year were  “Girl Rising” senior producer Hilary Sparrow of Vulcan Productions and 2001 Mercer Island Alum Sarah Grausz.

Ms Sparrow is also Director of Production on projects for the Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, Smithsonian Channel, and the.National Geographic Channel where she managed productions in nearly every corner of the globe including Cuba, Mexico, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Sarah Grausz

Sarah Grausz has built a career in international development, designing and implementing programs to improve bi-lateral relations between the U.S. and developing countries She offered three valuable tips for graduating seniors:”…First I want to talk about role models. Of the applicants here today, how many of you have a role model? For President Obama, his mother and grandmother were his role models, and their worldliness and empathy broadened his horizons and shaped his philosophy.

2014 Applicants: (from left) Scholarship winners Rachel Gallagher and Elena Jones, Caroline Kasman, Ilana Kleiner-Kanter (not pictured: Latrevian Saunders, Megan Ingram and Anna Brostius)