2026 AAFSW Merit Scholarship Winners
Kiara Fenn
Kiara Fenn is a rising senior at Cornell University studying biomedical engineering with a minor in Spanish. For the past three years, she has worked in a research laboratory — an experience that has inspired her to pursue a PhD in the biomedical field after graduation. When she is not in class or in the lab, she loves to run and dance — whether it's contra dance, swing dance, or sevillanas, a style of flamenco she learned while studying abroad in Seville, Spain this past spring
Thomas Benson
Thomas attended high school at the American International School Chennai and volunteered at Blue Cross of India, a veterinary NGO. Working alongside Regional Manager Vinod Kumar, he administered a J. Kirby Simon Foreign Service Trust grant to purchase antiparasitic medicines — an experience that deepened his passion for veterinary science. He now attends the University of Florida, where heI volunteers as a veterinary technician and conducts research on heat stress in cattle. He hopes to enter veterinary school after graduation.
2026 AAFSW Twice Exceptional Merit Scholarship Winners
Rya Anderson
This fall, Rya will attend Brigham Young University to pursue a degree in Nursing — the first step toward her long-term goal of becoming a Nurse Anesthetist. During high school, she had the honor of being invited to join the Aztec Chapter of the National Honor Society and co-founded a local chapter of Create for Kids (the first chapter ever opened in Mexico). Among her proudest achievements are maintaining Honor Roll every semester throughout high school, remaining actively involved in my church and school communities, and becoming a proficient pianist.
Tamar Levy-Gedacht
Tamar is a senior at Cooperative Arts and Humanities Magnet High School with a strong interest in visual arts, languages, and international experiences. As a Third Culture Kid who has lived in multiple countries — including South Korea and Israel — she has developed a deep appreciation for cultural exchange and global perspectives. Her academic and extracurricular involvement includes ceramics, playwriting, show choir, taekwondo instruction, and studying Korean through the Yale Center for Language Study. She has earned a 4.0 GPA, received the ACTFL Seal of Biliteracy in Hebrew, and been inducted into the National Arts Honor Society. In the future, she hopes to continue studying language and the arts while pursuing opportunities to engage with different cultures around the world.
2026 Judy Felt Memorial Volunteerism Scholarship - Alexander Flashberg
Alex Flashberg is studying Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, with minors in Naval Science and Leadership Studies. Inspired by the Foreign Service personnel and Marines he met serving in U.S. embassies overseas, he joined the Corps of Cadets and Naval ROTC program at Virginia Tech. Upon graduation, he plans to commission as an officer in the United States Navy, with an interest in flying helicopters.
2026 AAFSW Best Essay Scholarship Winner - Lillian Jafari
Lillian graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in June 2026. Outside of the United States, she has lived in Kenya, Cambodia, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and Uganda. For the past two years, she has interned at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, an experience that inspired her to study art history and education in college. This fall, she will attend Connecticut College, with the goal of pursuing a career in museum education.
