Six Yale students have been awarded Soros Fellowships

Six Yale students will receive support for their graduate educations as winners of the Soros Fellowships for New Americans.

The program was established in 1997 by Paul and Daisy Soros to support the graduate educations of students who were born abroad but have become permanent residents or naturalized citizens of the United States.  

Each award recipient must have “demonstrated creativity, originality, and initiative in one or more aspects of her or his life,” as well as “a commitment to and capacity for accomplishment that has required drive and sustained effort.” In addition, they must have shown a commitment to the values expressed in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Each fellow receives tuition and living expenses that can total as much as $90,000 over two academic years.

The Yale recipients are:

Parwiz Abrahimi is studying immunobiology at Yale. His doctoral research, in the  laboratory of Professor Jordan Pober, focuses on the role of vascular cells in the immunological rejection of transplanted organs. He is planning a research career in transplant medicine.

Amar Bakshi finished course work for an M.A. in international relations and economics from Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies and is now pursuing a J.D. at Yale Law School.

Eva Bitran pursued the theme of migration and refugee status as an undergraduate at Yale.  Currently in law school, she hopes to combine legal services, litigation, policy work, and teaching in her future career.

Sejal Hathi is attending Yale as a Global Health Fellow. A U.S. Presidential Scholar and a Truman Scholar, she will graduate this year with a B.S. in molecular biology, and plans to pursue a medical degree.

Etienne Mashuli will pursue a master’s degree in African studies at Yale, beginning in the fall of 2013.

Dennis Tseng is working toward his M.B.A. at the Yale School of Management. He hopes to form a benefit corporation devoted to the arts.

More information about the winners, and the Soros Fellowships for New Americans program, is available on the Soros website.