Fellows


2007 Merage Foundation for the American Dream Fellows The Merage Foundation for the American Dream is proud to present our 2007 Fellows. Their life stories, goals, and accomplishments have inspired both the Foundation and our Partner Universities. The Foundation is certain that the Fellows’ achievements will continue to have a positive impact upon their colleagues, their communities and the nation.
	Engin Ayaz immigrated to the United States from Turkey in 2003 in order to take advantage of the more flexible American educational system. He majored in civil and environmental engineering at Stanford. His American Dream is to be the architect of the green revolution in the building and design industry. He plans to use his stipend for a series of strategic internships in 2007 through 2009 with organizations working on green building design in Europe, Asia, Central America and the United States.

	Hana Jeon immigrated to the United Status from South Korea in 1997 to take advantage of educational opportunities denied to her parents in South Korea. She majored in psychology and neuroscience at Harvard. Her American Dream is to become a physician in order to serve a diverse patient population. She will use the stipend to help offset medical school expenses.

	Yulia Lapitskaya immigrated to the United Status from Belarus in 1999. She majored in political science and economics at Fordham University. Her American Dream is to practice immigration and/or international law, and she will use the American Dream stipend to offset law school costs.

	Tianhui Li immigrated to the United States from China as a child. He majored in computer science at Princeton. His American Dream is to contribute to securities policy discussions as a scientist through research in probability theory and mathematical finance. He would use the Merage stipend to attend mathematical finance conferences and to undertake summer research programs in finance.

	Martyna Majok immigrated to the United States from Poland as a child. She majored in English Language and Literatures at the University of Chicago. Her American Dream is to transform her full-length original play, which deals directly with immigrant life in America, into a novel. She will use the American Dream stipend to facilitate the production of her work and to take creative writing classes and seminars.

	Patricia Mazzei immigrated with her family to the United States from Venezuela in 2003 in order to escape the tense political situation in her country. She majored in economics and political science at the University of Miami. Her American Dream is to be a journalist and covering complex issues such as education and politics. She will use the American Dream stipend for a series of strategic newspaper internships and graduate coursework in journalism

	Irina Novoselsky immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine in 1988. She majored in finance and management at NYU. Her American Dream is to become a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. She will use the American Dream stipend to help pay for a business school and to initiate mentoring programs for young women.

	Catherine Ruiz immigrated to the United States from Colombia when she was two years old. She majored in political science and Latin American and Latino studies at Fordham. Her American Dream is to become an activist working with immigrant communities in New York City, to become a practicing immigration attorney, and to advise the federal government on immigration reform. She will apply the stipend toward a masters degree in political science

	Ehsan Saadat immigrated to the United States in August 2000 from Iran to pursue educational opportunities denied to him in Iran as a Jew. His majored in bioengineering at UC Berkeley. His American Dream is to become an orthopedic surgeon and develop imaging markers that will accurately pinpoint joint deterioration before it becomes symptomatic. He will use the stipend to help cover medical school expenses.

	Aswin Sekar immigrated to the United States from India in 1996. He majored in molecular, cellular and developmental biology at UCLA. His American Dream is to become a physician-scientist to improve diagnostic tools and treatments, and he will use the American Dream stipend to help fund medical school and to support his efforts with an organization he co-founded, Project Rishi (Rural India Social and Health Improvement).

	Bao Truong immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in March 1999. He is majoring in nuclear engineering and physics at MIT. His American Dream is to become one of the leading researchers in reactor safety and design; he will spend his American Dream stipend on costs associated with a PhD program in nuclear science and engineering.

	Katrin Usifo moved to the United States in 1989 from Nigeria, where she had moved with her parents from the former Soviet Union. She majored in microbiology at the University of Georgia. Her American Dream is to be a clinician, educator, and researcher. She will use the American Dream stipend to help offset her medical school expenses.

	Alex Zheng immigrated to the United States from China in 1997. He majored in computer engineering and environmental management at the University of Washington. His American Dream is to provide leadership in the energy sector in working toward sustainability, and he will apply the stipend toward costs associated with a graduate program in engineering.