A 2021-2022 Phillips Alumni Scholar
Mohamed Elsankary traces the roots of his care for others to helping his family distribute packages of food to the less fortunate while celebrating Eid on visits to Egypt. That experience, he said, “inspired me to find ways I, too, could assist in the same ways my parents would. This led me to volunteering in my own community around New Haven, Connecticut.” He found service opportunities at Hamden Hall Country Day School through the Interact Club, at soup kitchens around New Haven, and at his mosque’s community center.
Recently, he said, “I also worked with a student-led organization named FLY/LinkCT in an effort to connect virtually with inner-city students from New Haven Public Schools to offer
them homework assistance, but most importantly, someone to talk to during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Distance learning prevented children from being the social and talkative souls they naturally are so it was really important to me to interact with them aside from doing schoolwork.”
This fall, Mohamed began his college career at Trinity College. He plans to eventually become a dentist, “working to provide others with the oral care they need.” He would like to run a free clinic in New Haven one day.
PHILLIPS ALUMNI SCHOLAR
The Phillips Alumni Scholar Award goes to a new recipient of the scholarship who clearly exemplifies a “sense of other,” strong work ethic, academic strength and commitment to community service that are the hallmarks of the Phillips Scholar. The funds for the Alumni Scholar award(s) come from the generosity of Phillips Scholarship Alumni who donate so that others may have the opportunity to overcome the same financial barriers to education that they found. We are deeply grateful for the support of our alumni.