After an extensive nationwide search, the KIPP Foundation has recently granted 15 college-bound students, including KIPP Sol alums Laisha Ajtun and George Perez, a $60,000 scholarship through the Dave Goldberg Scholars Program, led by former Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg.
The Goldberg Scholars Program was established in 2017 by the Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation to honor the legacy of Dave Goldberg and support a new generation of leaders who have demonstrated Dave’s qualities of leadership, resilience, achievement, character, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Scholarship Highlights
- Critical financial support totaling approximately $15,000 per year per student to cover a range of non-tuition needs that are not traditionally met by college-based financial aid
- A Goldberg Mentor to provide guidance and support regularly throughout college
- Support from Goldberg Connectors, a network of professionals who will help scholars secure summer internships and job opportunities.
- An invitation to join a leadership weekend for professional development, skill-building, and networking with other Goldberg Scholars, mentors, and industry influencers.
Meet our 2024 Goldberg Scholars
Laisha Ajtun attended KIPP Sol Academy in East Los Angeles and plans to study engineering and public policy at UC Berkley. She intends to fuse her artistic and analytical nature to create aesthetically pleasing and eco-friendly infrastructures that mitigate the effects of pollution in marginalized communities. She also hopes to use her degree to contribute to humanitarian projects in developing countries where access to sustainable water and sanitation is scarce. As Laisha was born and raised in a community impacted by environmental racism, she intends to pursue a minor in public policy to advocate for increased Latino representation in decision-making processes that impact Latino communities. In her spare time, Laisha helps create and restore vandalized murals all over Los Angeles to contribute to the city’s beauty and culture.
George Perez attended KIPP Sol Academy in East Los Angeles and plans to attend Columbia University. George sought opportunities to combat the issues he saw throughout low-income communities in Los Angeles. “As a First Generation, Queer immigrant,” he wrote in his KIPP Goldberg application, “he continues to challenge traditional norms with a strong ambition to break stigmas across the cinematic universe and change perspectives of cultures around the world.” A UCLA Riordan Scholar and Puente Lideres Inc. STEM Entrepreneur, he is determined to continue his education in business to develop a network that provides access to opportunities for individuals with similar backgrounds, with the goal of creating a mentorship and scholarship foundation.