In Action
Investing in Future Generations: Daniel Nguyen, MS ‘16, is giving back as co-founder of the CAN (Campos-Ayele-Nguyen) Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to empowering underprivileged students to reach their full academic potential. In 2024 CAN celebrated its first scholarship recipients, which were selected from the founders’ former high school - Capital City Public Charter School. Click here to learn about the 2025 CAN Scholarship Application. As the Foundation grows, it plans to expand its college and career resources to further support students facing financial struggles in Washington, D.C.
Channeling the Power of the Pen: Frances Lu Pai Ippolito, MS ’98, lawyer, judge, writer, and most recently publisher, who seeks to shed a light on marginalized communities, released her first book, “A Tree of My Own.” A children’s picture book, sold out just minutes after its release, features the Karen refugee experience displaced by war in the Myanmar region. "A Tree of My Own" has been designated an "Of Note" title by Freeman Book Awards via the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA).The book is also a finalist for three categories of the IBPA award--AAPI Communities, Best New Voice, Best First Book. All the profits from book sales go back into scholarships and educational projects for the Karen community, including those who still reside in refugee camps. Profits have been donated to Oregon Karen Association and Earth Mission (providing medical care to Karen in Burma).
Committing to a Spiritual Vocation: As a member of the Society of Jesus, one of the largest male religious orders in the Catholic Church, Alvaro Pacheco, Jr., SJ, MS ‘02, has committed himself to a life of service, faith, and social justice. After two years as a Jesuit novice, Alvaro professed his first vows with the Jesuits at Loyola Marymount University's Sacred Heart Chapel in Los Angeles. He is continuing his journey toward the Catholic priesthood at Fordham University in the Bronx by completing an M.A. in Philosophy and Society and working at Thrive for Life Prison Project, a non-profit that mentors incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals on their journey to reentry.
Transforming Media Behind the Cameras. Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard, MS ‘89, was recognized as the Entertainment Attorney of the Year by the National Bar Association, the oldest Black Bar Association in the nation. She received her award at the 99th Annual Convention for the National Bar Association held in Las Vegas, NV. Throughout her career, Khadijah has promoted diverse voices, uplifted influential leaders, and helped transform communities’ narratives through entertainment and law.
Providing Medical Aid in Gaza. Dr. Mohammad Subeh, MS ‘02, an emergency room physician in the California Bay Area, is using his medical skills and heart for service to help Palestinian communities in Gaza. He has now completed two medical missions where he volunteered at an emergency room in Gaza, and is currently preparing to depart on his third mission. A Palestinian refugee himself, Dr. Subeh was born in Kuwait and raised in the United States.
Leading the Nation Towards a Healthier Climate. Dr. Harleen Marwah, MS ‘11, was appointed to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council to provide recommendations to the federal government on environmental justice. As a pediatrician and Editorial Fellow at the New England Journal of Medicine, Harleen is making an impact nationally and globally, having joined the UPenn delegation to COP28 the United Nations’ largest climate change conference hosted in Dubai, UAE.
Bringing Art to Life. In December 2023, Chiara Mannarino, MS ‘14, curated the inaugural exhibition of the Tristate Italian Art Prize, a new initiative of the Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in New York. The exhibit, which closed on February 28, showcased the creativity of the Italian and Italian American community in the Tristate area. Read more about how Chiara is making their mark in the art world!
Celebrating Big Moves. Harvard Business School’s 2023 Class Day Speaker, Adán Acevedo, MS ‘09, has returned to Los Angeles as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. In his continued work helping younger generations access quality education, he is closing out his role as Board Chair for the Young Eisner Scholars, a program that provides financial, social, and academic support to students in underserved communities. Thank you for your service!
Creating space for the modern Asian-American individual. Alyssa Chiang, MS ‘15, co-founded Lotus Magazine in 2020, a bi-monthly e-magazine which has grown to more than 250 subscribers. The lifestyle magazine serves as a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community as it shares stories and perspectives aimed at empowering, inspiring, and promoting visibility. Read more about it here!
Role model for the next generation of Hispanic leaders. The State University of New York welcomes the new SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute (HLI) director-in-residence, Doris Diaz-Kelly, MS ’90, to help build on SUNY’s successful professional development and networking program for Hispanic/Latinx leaders and allies. Simultaneously, Doris is Interim Associate Vice President of Student Affairs - Student Engagement at SUNY Oneonta. Learn more about SUNY’s HLI mission of developing the next generation of Hispanic/Latinx leaders, and it’s success.