2023 Empowering Youth: A strong community supports CSF Scholars

On October 19, College Success Foundation’s community of guests arrived at the Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center for our annual Empowering Youth luncheon. The stories shared by our current scholar and alumni illustrated our shared commitment to expand access to higher education opportunities for underrepresented students.

The crowd of more than 300 guests was welcomed by CSF alum Thomas Bressler, who was one of four alumni who served as emcees for the afternoon.

Thomas, who was among one of CSF’s first cohorts to graduate high school and attend college nearly 20 years ago, began the event by sharing his personal story of how CSF’s program inspired him to go to college.

After a run-in with the law, he was given a second chance that allowed him to return to Mt. Tahoma High School and continue his path to a degree.

“Like many of our CSF Scholars I didn’t grow up thinking that college was for me—when we were kids we didn’t even give it much thought. But once I got there, I quickly found out that I did belong, however without the support of CSF I would have never graduated,” Thomas reflected.

Thomas graduated with his bachelor’s in business management from the University of Washington-Tacoma and received his master’s in information management from the University of Washington. Today, he works in Microsoft’s Marketing division as a Senior Technical Program Manager.

CSF President & CEO James Dorsey highlighted the impact CSF’s recent high school and college services expansions are having on the communities we serve. Our strong partnerships with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) are vital to the success of these expansions: “Together, we are now serving more than 24,000 students in Washington middle schools, high schools and colleges,” James explained.

James also announced that direct-college enrollment rates for CSF Scholars are climbing and that CSF has served more than 13,300 college graduates since its inception.

We also heard from CSF’s Senior DEI Officer and CSF alum Dr. Hajer Al-Faham who spoke of her experience as a refugee and first-generation college graduate who went on to receive her doctorate in political science, policy and research methodology from the University of Pennsylvania.

“CSF changed my life. My life wasn’t supposed to have this trajectory. The odds were stacked against me,” Hajer remarked. “Now as a senior leader at CSF, I have the privilege of ensuring that the organization continues to live up to its highest standards: leading with equity, inclusion, belonging, and a sincere embrace of diversity in everything that we do.”

CSF Scholar Arian took the audience through his educational journey, beginning when he and his younger brother were forced by the Turkish government to attend a boarding school for refugees and culminating in his achievement as a first-generation college graduate.

“Kids of my age at that time were thinking of the toys their parents would bring home whereas I was filled with sorrow of being separated from my parents,” Arian recalled. “The more challenging part was to act like everything was OK so my younger brother, who was 6 years old back then, would not be overloaded with the sense of loneliness.”

When Arian arrived in the U.S. as a high schooler, he immersed himself in a new culture, a new language, and an unfamiliar school setting. Not missing a beat and being the proactive student that he is, he connected with a village of CSF advisors and coaches, who supported him during his high school years and throughout his college experience. After graduating this spring with honors at age 20 from Green River College, he transferred to the University of Washington this fall with plans to go into the field of medicine.

“There are millions of students sharing similar stories, and I’m just one representation of what people like me can achieve when provided with adequate resources and support,” Arian emphasized.

CSF alum Isabel Badillo, who attended A.C. Davis High School in Yakima and who graduated with her bachelor’s in biology from Saint Martin’s University, introduced her colleague at Dorsey & Whitney, CSF Board Member and Event Chair Walter Impert, who invited guests to make a gift.

“I hope that you, like myself, were moved by Arian’s story, Walter expressed. “All who are here today, have to differing degrees, experienced what it is like to have to be strong for someone else. In Arian’s words, he needed to be strong for his 6-year-old brother when they were separated from their parents in a brand new country. Now I ask that we all take a moment and consider how we can, once again, be strong for someone else.  Consider how your gift today can help young people, like Arian and many others, overcome challenges and succeed.”

CSF Board Member and alum Sydney McMaster gave us a glimpse into her experience as a CSF Scholar.

“My parents were incredibly supportive and did everything they could for my sister and I to get the education they were never able to pursue,” Sydney remembers. “But like so many other first-generation college students, I didn’t have a college fund, let alone awareness of all the required forms, paperwork, and financial jargon that accompanied higher education.”

Sydney received her bachelor’s degree in public health from the University of Washington and is currently pursuing her master’s in public health from George Washington University. Today, Sydney is an engagement specialist and program official with The National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program.

Sydney also recognized our incredible partners in educational equity during the luncheon. Both representatives from BECU, who received the Spirit of Philanthropy Award, and State Rep. Steve Bergquist, who received the Student Advocacy Award, were on hand for the moment of recognition.

Thanks to your incredible generosity, you’ve raised $333,000 to support underrepresented students in Washington state as they work towards graduation day. We look forward to seeing you at next year’s event! 

Didn’t have a chance to attend the event? Join us now! You can help us reach our stretch goal of $350,000 to support our programs.

We are proud to support the following BIPOC-owned businesses for Empowering Youth: Catering by DayoSense, Macarons by Macadons and photography by ORIGINAL STUDIOS.