Congratulations to the recent inductees into the Seattle University chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu (AΣN), the Jesuit honor society that recognizes students who are committed to intellectual development and deepening of Jesuit ideals and scholarship, loyalty to faith and social justice, and service to others.

Congratulations to Alfie Scholar, Nizama Djuderija, Criminal Justice/Administration of Justice ’18, who has been awarded a 9-month Fulbright Research Grant Award to Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Alfie Scholars Pa Ousman Jobe (Business and Finance ’18) and Gabriel Narvaez (Sociology ’18) have joined the team at Project Pilgrimage. Project Pilgrimage “builds interracial and intergenerational community … by studying, understanding, and gaining inspiration from transformational movements and individuals, and then taking action.” For more details, visit http://projectpilgrimage.org/

Congratulations to the recent inductees into the Gamma Mu Seattle University chapter of Tau Sigma, a national honor society that recognizes and promotes academic excellence and leadership in  transfer students. Students who earn a 3.5 GPA or higher in their first quarter after transferring are invited to join Tau Sigma. On February 27, 2019, a total of 77 students were welcomed into the Gamma Mu chapter. Among those inducted were seven of the ten 2018 Alfie Scholars cohort.

The Alfie Scholars Program at Seattle University is now accepting applications for the 2019-2020 cohort. Alfie Scholars receive $15,000 per year for two years to complete their bachelor’s degrees. In addition to the scholarship, each scholar receives:

• Individual advising and instruction

• Academic enrichment programs

• Leadership and civility training

“I would die for my education,” says Alfie Scholar Kaddy Suso, age 26. Getting an education has been Kaddy’s raison d’etre since she was a young girl in a small village in The Gambia. This was not the plan her family had in mind. As traditionalists, they expected her, like most women in her country, to marry in her early teens, become a gardener, and bear children. That never appealed to Kaddy, who found joy in learning from the get-go and who recognized the unfairness of only allowing men to get an education and the upper hand in society.

It’s 8 a.m. and two hundred students—ranging from the 9th grade to their first year in college and coming from diverse backgrounds—are rehearsing enthusiastically. Some speak original poetry with shining eyes; others break into creative dance or offer calming hugs. In minutes, these talented and underserved youths from across the nation will present powerful narratives in front of almost 1,700 teachers, administrators, and representatives—including the Department of Education. Demonstrating the daily realities of growing up amidst financial hardship, bullying, and gun violence, these students will also share the excitement of participating with GEAR UP, a federal initiative that provides mentoring, college planning, and scholarships.

When you read about Angela Flores-Marcus’s accomplishments, you are immediately awestruck. Her dedication to her community is apparent through the numerous organizations she has engaged in, including serving as the Vice President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the President of Women in STEM club, and Co-Chair of the Queer-Straight Alliance. Her academic excellence is demonstrated by the eleven scholarships she has been awarded and the honor societies she is a part of.

Alfie Scholar Jasmina “Mina” Omerovic (class of ‘20) was selected this year by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to participate in a five-week online workshop followed by a four-day visit to the NASA JPL campus in Pasadena, CA. Her experience was fun, inspiring, and intense.

When Alfie Scholar and Seattle University College of Nursing graduate, Julia Mariga, found out she was selected by her cohort of 75-80 fellow nursing students to speak at the Pinning Ceremony, she was “genuinely shocked.” She expected someone more “vocal” to be elected and saw herself as a “fly-on-the-wall” in her classes, gently guiding her peers towards various resources and support. “It feels good to know I’ve been helpful to people even when I thought I was just doing a kind thing. It’s good to see people actually benefited from my help,” she says humbly.