International Support Fund | ISSS | Western Washington University

THEIR GRATITUDE, YOUR IMPACT

Merwa Kedir

As a third-year international student majoring in Cybersecurity, I am working hard to build a strong foundation in my field. I also serve as the Vice President of the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCYS) Club, where I help create a welcoming place for women interested in technology.

Thank you again for believing in my potential. Your kindness will make a lasting impact on my education, my future career, and the work I do to help others find their place in the world of technology.

Ayomide Olawufemi

While living in Nigeria, I've always wanted to study abroad, so being able to do so at Western is a tremendous experience. I am a graduate student in the Chemistry department. I currently research nanoparticles and am working towards getting my work published in top journals in Chemistry. I got diagnosed with pneumonia last quarter and racked up some hospital bills in the process, so I want to express my deep gratitude to the donors to the International Student Support Fund for considering me deserving of the scholarship. I would now be able to pay my accumulated medical costs and focus on my studies.

Thank You!

From Bhopal to Bellingham

Ashima Shrivastava completed a Bachelor’s in Computer Science at the Rajiv Gandhi Technical University in her hometown of Bhopal, India. “Ever since I was young, and saw my elder brother taking CS classes, I was fascinated with the idea of computers being able to do so much.” She chose to advance her studies in Western Washington University’s MS in Computer Science program. “Finances was one of the biggest challenges. I didn’t want to ask my parents for money,” she explained. The CS department was able to give Ashima a Teacher’s Assistant position for a few quarters, which covered her tuition expenses. She paid for her other fees and living expenses with a loan from India and a summer job on campus as a website developer.

After losing her TA position, she had to use all her student loan to pay for her tuition, leaving her with no funding for her final two quarters. Undeterred, Ashima reached out to her research advisor and two professors, who were able to advocate for her. She also reached out to ISSS. The International Student Support Fund provided financial assistance to help pay tuition in her final quarter.