On Tuesday, May 23, MKA hosted an event to celebrate MKA’s Community Scholars Program, the school’s longest-standing commitment to financial assistance. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the MKA community, this program adds diversity to the student body and makes an MKA education accessible to students with exceptional potential. Established in 1965, The Community Scholars Program has provided an incredible 90 scholarships to students who have left MKA and made their mark on the world. Each of the nine scholarships currently provided by the school covers the full cost of an MKA education and supports students who represent a racial or ethnic minority, show exceptional academic potential, embrace the values of the MKA community, and demonstrate full financial need.

At the evening’s event, senior Terry Kagiri shared reflections on her journey. She said, “If you had asked me four years ago why I was here, I'd probably say, ‘I don't know.’ I would say that I am not really sure, but there's definitely a reason. …But if you ask me today, I'd probably say, ‘I don't care. I'm here.’ And that's the fact of the matter. I'm here, and that's reason enough. Now, you might ask: ‘Okay, so what do you want?’ Well, I want to help people. That might sound a little vague, but it's what I want to do.” Terry’s spirit, honesty, and engagement with difficult and broad questions are hallmarks of an MKA education. On a night that celebrated the seniors in the Community Scholars program, we are so proud of the growth and contributions of each individual student and their families. Terry concluded, “ As I end my senior year, I know what I want to do with my time on this planet. Even if I'm still figuring out the ‘why,’’ I haven't even started interrogating the ‘how’... I know ‘what.’ And I think that's a pretty good start.”

Doreen Oliver, a Community Scholar from the Class of 1992 and current parent, also spoke at the event and provided her insight on the impact of an MKA education. As a student, she felt that while she may not have been ready to break completely out of her shell, strong faculty support as well as an environment that encouraged inquiry and risk-taking set-her up for success as she went on to Yale University and Stanford Business School. Now as a parent, she has first-hand experience that MKA remains an academically excellent school with a focus on building character. She left the group with the words, “So be kind and candid and bold, audacious and create the community that you experience here. And if it’s not the community here that you feel like maybe I’ve experienced, then you can make it. And I’m sure there will be teachers and faculty to help you through that.”