32 Foundation Scholarship Recipients Honored

ANNANDALE, VIRGINIA — Recipients of Fairfax Library Foundation’s 2025 scholarships were recognized on Wednesday, May 14, during the Fairfax County Library Board of Trustees monthly meeting. This year’s awardees included 16 undergraduate recipients, 7 graduate, and 9 recipients of scholarships for staff development.

During the meeting, Trustees Chair Suzanne Levy recognized each recipient individually and presented them with a certificate. Fairfax Library Foundation Chair Miriam Smolen and Executive Director Lisa Bryant were on hand to congratulate recipients, along with Foundation Scholarship Committee Chair, Dr. Gail V. Ritchie.

This year’s recipients are:

Undergraduate Scholarship Recipients

• Temni Afework 

• Karsten Anderer

• Alice Cao-Dao

• Krishna Chaduruvelly

• Zayan Meah, Savkar-Loser R.E.A.D. Scholarship 

• Liyana Mohammed, Pohick Friends Joan & Richard Vaaler Scholarship

• Ibrahim Mujahid, Myra “Micky” Shulman New American Initiative Scholarship

• Susan Pirnat, Friends of the Centreville Library Scholarship

• Cory Potter

• Daniel Purvis, Pohick Friends Dan & Joanne Neckel Scholarship

• Alicia Rebello, Pohick Friends Andrew Pendergrass Scholarship

• Ella Ridgway, Friends of the Burke Centre Library Scholarship

• Amery Stapleton, Pohick Friends Rita Hoskins Scholarship 

• Eleanor VanDuyne, Pohick Friends Nancy Vandel Scholarship 

• Victoria Wood, Christine Chambers-Chun Scholarship

• Claire Yan, Pohick Friends Mary Storch Scholarship

Graduate Scholarship Recipients

• Raven Anderson

• Kathleen Cheon

• Rebecca Herrera

• Rebecca Kurylo

• Laura Odegard

• Sahadev Poudel 

• Larissa Yates

Staff Development

• Luis Aponte

• Mona Chandan

• Logan Counard

• Sondra Eklund

• Nancy Klein

• David M. Mercer

• Pamela Murrell

• Sara Prohaska

• Jennifer Tchida

Fairfax Library Foundation awards scholarships annually to library staff and volunteers in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. To date, the Foundation has awarded $220,000 to 169 undergraduate students, $290,000 to 98 graduate students, and $97,000 to 249 library employees for staff development. Further information about Fairfax Library Foundation scholarships can be found here.

Since 1994, the Fairfax Library Foundation has existed solely with the mission to enhance the programs and services of the Fairfax County Public Library, the largest public library system in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Designated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable and educational organization, the Foundation provides supplementary support to the community by providing access to information, technology, innovations, civic engagement and entertainment, and by offering literacy and educational opportunities.

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