Congratulations to our Fall 2006 Scholarship Recipients

The scholarship required submission of an application, an academic transcript showing a GPA of 2.5 or better, and a personal statement.  The awardees were selected based on their academic achievements, leadership ability, participation in extracurricular activities, and their level of financial need. We are proud to announce our Fall 2006 scholarship recipients Menaka Gayathri Samarasingha and Prabudini Kumari Mapa. Each winner received a $250.00 scholarship.

Menaka Gayathri Samarasingha is a senior undergraduate majoring in Business Information Systems at the Utah State University. She also minors in Math and Computer Science.  After studying at Mahamaya Girls’ College from 1995 to 2002, Menaka studied at the Sunway College in Malaysia and obtained an Advanced Diploma in Computer Science. At Mahamaya, she was a member of the College Hockey Team; she was awarded College Colors for being a member of the team that won the National Hockey Championship in 1998. While maintaining an excellent academic record, Menaka has held numerous leadership positions; she has served as the President of the International Club of Information Technology at Sunway College, the Financial Vice President of the International Student Council, which was named the Best Organization of the Year in 2005, and the Secretary of the Committee of Business Ambassadors at Utah State University. She has volunteered for the Association of International Students at Sunway College to raise funds to help homeless older people and for the International Student Council at Utah State College to raise funds to support Tsunami-affected countries including Sri Lanka. Moreover, Menaka tutors statistics at Utah State University and has also held a summer internship position at Flying J Inc. She aspires gaining a Ph.D. in Business Information Systems and working for a web development company.

Prabudini Kumari Mapa is a senior undergraduate majoring in Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois, Chicago. After studying at Mahamaya Girls’ College from 1996 to 2002, she came to the United States to pursue an advanced degree in Biology and studied at the Oakton Community College, Illinois.  Prabudini has been awarded several academic scholarships including the Gorov Scholarship and the Chilton Family Scholarship.  She is not only an outstanding student, but also is involved in numerous extracurricular as well as community service activities.  Prabudini is a member of two prestigious honor societies, including the Golden Key International Honor Society and the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, and is an active member of the Urban Health Professionals.  She volunteers at the Gilda’s Club, which is a cancer support society, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, the Chronic Pain Care Center at the Chicago Veterans Affairs, the Hospital at Hines, and at the Rush University in Chicago. Moreover, Prabudini has served as a biology lab assistant at the Oakton Community College and is currently serving as a lab assistant in a Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Research Lab at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She is also interested in engaging in scientific research.  Prabudini’s goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in Physical Therapy and pursue a career as a physical therapist.

On behalf of MGCAANA, the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Scholarship Selection Committee would like to sincerely congratulate Menaka and Prabudini and wish both of them continued success in their academic and professional pursuits.

Best regards,
Dharshani Nanayakkara
President and Director
Mahamaya Girls’ College Alumnae Association of North America