The Hammiesphere: Alexander Hamilton Scholars’ Quarterly Newsletter
Welcome to the second edition of The Hammiesphere, AHS’ Quarterly Newsletter! View our screen reader-compatible PDF version (also great for print) here and enjoy the accessible web version below.
Vol. 1 | Issue 2
Summer 2021
Only smiles from our 2017 Hammies during International Leader Week 2019 in Tecpán, Guatemala. These scholars will be college seniors this fall!
In this issue:
Letter from the Executive Director
Happy Summer Hamilton Community! Our second quarter of 2021 sees our daylight hours increasing, more members of our community receiving vaccinations, and June’s celebration of Pride Month all bringing me hope and joy for potentially increased connections with our community for all of us.
Some of the highlights of our spring quarter, which you can read more about further in this newsletter:
- We welcomed 33 scholars into the 2021 Cohort
- 100% of our 2020 Scholars graduated high school and have acceptance into best fit colleges
- 96% of 2016 Scholars graduated with their undergraduate degrees
- Our Alumni Board organized and led our first ever Alumni Summit, bringing together Alumni from across cohorts from 2007-2016
- 2017 Hammie, Makaila Ranges, was selected as a Truman Fellow
- 2016 Hammies, Lily Tang and Shellaina Gordon, were awarded Fulbrights
- 2016 Hammie, Tammy Nguyen, is a Rangel Fellow and was elected to our AHS Alumni Board
- We welcomed Elias Olson, Data and Communications Coordinator, to our team
- Program has built robust Leader Weeks for this summer (virtual in summer 2021) - Seattle Leader Week – College Readiness/Transition for 2020 Scholars, New York Leader Week College Application/Welcome for 2021 Scholars, and International Leader Week Global Citizenship/Service for 2018 Scholars, keep an eye on our social media for updates during each Leader Week
- We are kicking off our June Virtual Fundraising Gala, Supporting Scholars Through Community
- We received a grant from Costco in support of our Scholars
- AHS will be observing Juneteenth later this month
I am looking forward to Summer 2021 with optimism – getting to spend time with our team and Scholars during Leader Weeks, connecting with our donors and supporters during our Virtual Gala livestream event June 27th, 2021 at 5 pm PT, and the increase in critical conversations happening to engage in learning and unlearning in service to equity.
All my best,
Dr. Angela Hedwall
Dr. Angela Hedwall, Executive Director
Spotlight
Lily Tang, 2016
Lily Tang (she/her) is a 2016 Hamilton Scholar from Massachusetts. She is graduating from UMass Amherst this year with a dual degree in Political Science and Global Studies. Lily was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship and will be moving to Taiwan soon!
Throughout her time in the Hamilton Program, Lily has been a strong advocate for her fellow scholars and a generous mentor to younger Hammies. Lily, like many of our Hammie mentors, routinely reach out to their mentees through our formal mentorship program. Every year, our newest cohort is formally paired with an older scholar to help guide them through the college application process. This formal mentorship pairing lasts far beyond scholars’ first year of the program, serving as asupport system as they explore college and enter the workforce. Each of our 31 Hamilton Scholars in the 2020 Cohort has been paired with older Hammie mentors and 100% of the mentorship pairings have connected via email, social media, and/or video calls. Mentorship from those who have gone through similar struggles and barriers is not a resource first generation, low income students typically have access to. Only 54% of underserved youth enter a 2- or 4-year degree program, compared to 100%of Hamilton Scholars; the national average for underserved students to advance to their second year of studies is only 79%, compared to 88% of their higher-income peers (NSCRC).
The extra support Hamilton Scholars receive from AHS helps ensure they are successful not only in admittance to college, but throughout college, as indicated by our scholars’ 97% college graduation rate in 5 years or less.
Lily Tang (‘16), Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship award winner
“I am excited for this opportunity to teach English and U.S. history and culture through the lens of anti-racism and anti-U.S. imperialism. I hope to share with my soon-to-be students in Taiwan the experiences of people of color and educate them about the true story of the U.S. by highlighting the struggles and contributions made by BlPOC communities. Additionally, I am looking forward to renegotiating my positionality while abroad as a first-generation, soon-to-be graduate and an Asian-American woman. I hope to use this opportunity to learn and unlearn my own perspectives of the world to further my commitment to social justice and creating global change.”
Programming
The last few months have been full of exciting updates to Hamilton Scholars’ programming! We’ve been hard at work securing new opportunities for our Hammies while diligently preparing for another summer of Leader Weeks!
Partnerships Review
- Keck Graduate Institute: two fully-funded summer opportunities to our public health and medically-oriented Hammies
- Compass Education Group: fully-funded test prep tutoring to our 2021 Hammies for the SAT and ACT exams
- JUMA Ventures: hosting 2019 Hammie, Josue Herrera Rivera, in a summer internship
- New-York Historical Society: hosting 2019 Hammie, Ashley Neyra, in a summer internship
- Rainier Scholars: AHS is hosting one of their students, Donaji, in a summer Program internship
Program updates
- We’re welcoming 2019 Hammie, Munahil Sultana, as our summer Program intern
- 7 scholars from the 2017 and 2018 cohorts have been awarded $14,867 in Independent Internship Funding and will be using these funds in their communities conducting research, hosting workshops, and completing requirements for graduate school
- The Alumni Board hosted our first annual Alumni Summit in May with workshops like the Personal Development Plan (PDP) refresher and “Then & Now” Hamilton program updates, with over 50 attendees, pictured above
Emergency Funds
We have distributed $3301 in Emergency Funds to 5 scholars, spanning April 1 – June 1, so far in our second quarter of 2021.
Emergency fund breakdown:
Emergency Relocation (55%); DACA Fees (27%); Food Insecurity (9%); Utilities (9%).
Hammie News
Caroline Curran, 2020 Scholar
Caroline Curran (‘20), 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholar recipient
Caroline is one of 161 outstanding American high school seniors who have demonstrated academic achievement, artistic excellence, technical expertise, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community. Caroline was recognized as a 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholar and says, “I am incredibly grateful to receive this honor from the U.S. Department of Education because education is integral to who I am, and I aspire to be a lifelong learner. It is an immense privilege to have my achievements recognized by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars and President Joe Biden. The Alexander Hamilton Scholars community gave me the support and confidence to know that receiving an award like this was possible. I am so proud to be a Hamilton Scholar! I am excited to begin college at Harvard University this fall as both a Hamilton Scholar and U.S. Presidential Scholar!”
Cindy Yan (‘19), featured in “Stories and Voices from L.A. Chinatown:
Cindy Yan, 2019 Scholar
Cindy was featured in “Stories and Voices from L.A. Chinatown” -- a project with The Library Foundation of Los Angeles, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, & Los Angeles Public Library -- in celebration of May’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Cindy says, “I was able to share my experience growing up in Chinatown, Los Angeles and highlight the current issues of Asian hate crimes, gentrification, housing issues, etc.” Check out the website with videos, photos, and quotes from Cindy and others, plus an outdoor display in Chinatown.
Journey Browne (‘17), Vera Institute of Justice intern
Journey Browne, 2017 Scholar
Journey will be an Intern at the Vera Institute of Justice this summer! Vera works closely with government and civic leaders to urgently build and improve justice systems that ensure fairness, promote safety, and strengthen communities. Journey will be working in their Research Department as a Research & MEL Intern. Some of Journey’s exciting responsibilities include planning their annual Research Summer Symposium and conducting focus research on specific criminal legal and immigration issues.
2021 Cohort
This year, we received 1,328 applications from high school juniors across the nation to be a part of our empowerment program. From these applications, we’d like to introduce you to our newest cohort of young changemakers: the 2021 cohort.
These 33 scholars represent 14 states and a wide array of communities, backgrounds, and cultures. They exemplify the best of our nation’s youth, displaying grit, determination, and the ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve their ambitious goals.
Infographic with breakdowns of the demographics of the 2021 Cohort; accessible infographic description here.
We can’t wait to see how this group of next generation leaders thrive with our mentorship, practical guidance, and comprehensive network of support — much like Alexander Hamilton had — so they, too, can go on to leave lasting legacies that forever change their communities, our nation, and the world.
2021 Hammie Spotlight
Paul Quach | Salem, OR
Paul Quach is an high-achieving, self-motivated and ambitious young leader; proud of his heritage, and even more of his upbringing — it has made him the confident young man seen today. Born in Salem Oregon, and a scholar at North Salem High School, Paul Quach, is the first-generation, low-income son of immigrant parents who shows up everywhere in his community as the “kid who does it all.” Even though Paul often stands alone as the only Asian American scholar at these “bigger meetings,” he continues to strive for the inclusion of diverse student voices, the representation of students of color, and the empowerment of women in predominantly white, male-dominated communities.
Paul Quach (‘21) of Salem, OR
Nhi Huynh (‘21) of Worcester, MA
Nhi Huynh | Worcester, MA
Nhi always has a passion to help other people and give back to her community. As an immigrant from Vietnam, she values hard work, resilience, and faith. Adapting to a new country has been difficult at times for her and her family; Nhi overcame hardships and challenges by eagerly pushing herself ahead and heeding the lessons of independence and perseverance that she learned from her parents— shaping her into a tenacious leader. Nhi is inspired to achieve by her family. She aspires to bridge the educational gap and bring better education to underprivileged kids. She continues to be highly motivated in working towards her goals; she is determined to make a change.
Arthur Codrington | Hollywood, FL
Arthur Codrington is a high-achiever with a passion for helping and serving others. Often referred to as a ‘natural people person,’ Arthur’s enthusiasm and charisma adds to his overall personality. He’s dedicated his time to many service projects and organizations, as well as leadership positions, to help his community. Arthur’s goal is to attend a historically black college and/or university (HBCU) to major in biochemistry and chemistry and then go to Medical School and earn his MD. His wish is to become a cardiovascular surgeon in support of his passion for helping others.
Arthur Codrington (‘21) of Hollywood, FL
College Decision Day & Graduations
2021 College Decision Day
Each year on May 1st, college applicants across the country must make their decision on college attendance. We are pleased to announce that each of our 31 scholars from the 2020 Cohort will be attending college in the fall. Join us in celebrating college decisions with the 2020 Cohort as they take the first exciting step in the next phase of their lives. The road ahead will be full of both triumph and defeat, but we know they will all succeed in becoming the next generation of leaders, and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish along the way. Pictured below are several of our scholars.
2021 College Graduates
Congrats, grads! Pictured are a handful of our 2021 college graduates this year:
Alumni & GiveBig
Alumni Board
AHS’ Alumni Board is composed of representatives from each Hamilton Alumni Cohort since the beginning (2005) all to the way to our most recent graduating cohort (2016). They are a group of passionate, values-driven leaders striving to propel the mission of AHS.
We welcomed back many of our inaugural board members and added seven new members who will be serving two year terms. We are also pleased to announce that Erika So (2009) was elected Vice President and will serve alongside returning Secretary/Treasurer, Kenneth Brown, Jr. (2014), and President, Mackenzie Welch (2009), who also holds a seat on AHS’ Board of Directors, bringing the voice of scholars and alumni directly into policy making.
Our members are from nearly every geographic region of the US and represent a variety of sectors of professional work, including a practicing medical doctor, an active-duty Naval Intelligence Officer, teachers, counselors, software engineers, a Foreign Service Officer, business analysts, and so much more -- read their inspiring bios at hamiltonscholars.org/alumni-board and see our new members below:
GiveBig 2021: Give Change, Be Change.
On May 5, 2021, Alexander Hamilton Scholars joined thousands of nonprofits nationwide in raising money to help promote equity and improve the world we all share through a one-day event called GiveBig. This year the AHS Alumni Board called upon Hammie Alumni to join in giving their spare change to help be change for future generations of Hammies.
Thanks to the Alumni Board’s hard work and the generosity of our Alumni, we raised $2,016 from 29 donors, 90% of whom are alumni!
Decorative picture of three scholars posing for a picture.
Giving by Cohort year breakdown: 2007 (11%); 2009 (15%); 2009 (12%); 2012 (12%); 2013 (12%); 2014 (15%); 2015 (19%); 2017 (4%).
Development
Employee Matching
Did you know...
There are several ways you can monetarily support AHS passively at no cost to you by selecting AHS as your “Charity of Choice” on these websites:
Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions made by their employees and/or retirees and/or spouses. To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, please check with your Human Resources team. If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer, and send it completed and signed with your gift, and we will do the rest. Your dollars can easily be doubled or tripled!
Some local Seattle employers that do donation matching: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft, Google, Bank of America, King County Employee Giving Program, Amgen, Boeing, Chase, Deloitte, Disney, Morgan Stanley, Paccar, and Verizon.
Fundraising: 2021 Annual Gala
Decorative infographic about AHS’ Annual Gala
Join us for our Annual Fundraising Gala & Auction going virtual again this year from June 7-27, 2021.
We will be hosting a special live auction on Sunday, June 27th where you’ll have the opportunity to bid on some of our exclusive big ticket items like a pair of Alaska Airlines tickets, valid for any destination Alaska flies.
This year, our theme is “Supporting Scholars Through Community” -- an opportunity for us to partner with small businesses and individuals to offer unique and exciting auction items and uplift local communities, in turn empowering our scholars. We have several packages donated by scholars themselves -- check it out today!
80% of our 2021 cohort scholars are the first-generation in their families to attend a 4-year college.
The average household income for our 2021 cohort is $37,257; the 2020 U.S. national median income was $68,400.
The regional distribution of our 2021 cohort is: Pacific NW (12%); Southwest (30%); South (18%); Southeast (12%); Midwest (6%); and Northeast (21%).
The racial/ethnic distribution of our 2021 cohort is: African American or Black (27%); Asian (33%); White (6%); Hispanic or Latinx (27%); Middle Eastern (9%); and Native or Indigenous (3%).
The community type distribution of our 2021 cohort is: Rural (6%); Suburban (42%); and Urban (52%).
