Turkessa is pursuing a master’s degree in special education as a way to break the cycle of poverty she faces. As a former foster child who aged out of the system, she regularly had to choose between school and survival, surviving bouts of homelessness and illness that disrupted not just her education but her life. Despite severe financial hardships, she has served as a foster parent for several children and took guardianship of her younger sister, who has severe disabilities. To Turkessa, this degree will help her fulfil her dream of opening a youth center and making a difference in the lives of children who face challenges similar to the ones she overcame.

Sarah has a passion to create change in child welfare. As a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence, her pursuit of her master’s in social work is driven by her vision of a welfare system that helps families in a manner free of trauma and racial bias. Sarah is raising three children on her own on a very tight budget. This scholarship will prevent an unanticipated expense from derailing her path to financial stability and her dream to reimagine social work around empathy and advocacy.

Stephan followed eight years in the Navy with a degree in biomedical engineering and seven years as a volunteer emergency medical technician (EMT) in a journey that has inspired him to make a significant impact in healthcare. On his path to the MD program at UW–Madison, he has overcome numerous obstacles, including extended overseas deployments, a traumatic brain injury while serving, and adversity his parents faced as first-generation immigrants. Stephan’s commitment to this goal has also resulted in him being published ten times in peer-reviewed medical research publications. This scholarship will alleviate the financial strain he has been facing as his courseload has expanded and kept him from earning the supplemental income he needs. 

Anna’s undergraduate career was disrupted by an illness that would put her in need of urgent medical care. This situation led to numerous drops and withdrawals that made the traditional four-year degree path unattainable; instead, Anna achieved her degree through coursework that spanned 15 years and six different schools. The potential to advance her career in healthcare inspired her to pursue a dual MD–MPH degree so she can improve healthcare access to the most vulnerable populations in Wisconsin.

“Each of these students has travelled a very unique path, and they’ve had plenty of reasons to stop along the way,” said Brandon Sosa, CEO of the Barzilai Foundation. “They’ve overcome significant obstacles to get to where they are now and will continue to overcome them to create a future that brings positive change for others.”