Scholarships for Student Activists
Meet Our 2025 Student Activist Scholarship Recipients
Our 2025 student activist scholarship recipients embody the values of the Secular Student Alliance by boldly expressing their secular identities, fostering inclusive and welcoming communities, and advocating for strong secular principles. By continuing their activism, we are confident they will contribute to the betterment of society.
We are honored to present the Hurston Scholarship, in collaboration with Black Nonbelievers, the Dr. Hector Avalos Scholarship, in partnership with Hispanic American Freethinkers, and multiple scholarships in affiliation with the Freedom From Religion Foundation - the Yip Harburg Lyrics Foundation Student Awards and the Cliff Richards Memorial Student Activist Awards. We extend our gratitude to local atheist, humanist, and freethought groups for sponsoring scholarships for student activists in their respective states.
Alex | Saint Francis Highschool
Alex is a 17-year-old high school student at Saint Francis High School in Minnesota with a passion for acting and music. He dreams of becoming an actor who tells meaningful stories that help others—especially LGBTQ+ youth—feel seen and understood. For Alex, the arts are not just a creative outlet but a way to build empathy, representation, and social change.
His secular identity is rooted in the belief that religion and government should remain separate while respecting the rights of individuals to believe as they choose. This conviction deepened when he was reprimanded as a child for not reciting part of the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment that revealed how religion can be imposed in public spaces and inspired his advocacy for inclusivity and respect.
As a trans man, Alex has experienced both love and support alongside hostility often fueled by religious rhetoric. These challenges have strengthened his resolve to stand up for himself and others marginalized by prejudice. He has already made an impact, playing a key role in protesting and repealing a religiously motivated book ban in his school district, and he regularly sparks dialogue by confronting moments of intolerance with courage and empathy.
Looking ahead, Alex hopes to continue sharing his story to encourage authenticity and highlight the value of diverse perspectives. He sees the Secular Student Alliance as a vital community where secular students can grow in confidence and solidarity. A scholarship eases the financial barriers to pursuing inclusive acting programs and affirms that his voice, identity, and dreams matter.
Alex’s scholarship is sponsored by the HumanistsMN and HMN members Craig Luedemann, Mary Robischon, and Ross Meisner.
Alexis | University of Central Oklahoma
Alexis is a student at the University of Central Oklahoma, pursuing a degree in Forensic Sciences with plans to attend law school and become a criminal defense attorney. Motivated by a deep commitment to justice and fairness, she is a first-generation student whose path is shaped by her family’s sacrifices and her mother’s resilience.
She identifies as agnostic, a perspective rooted in critical inquiry and authenticity. Growing up in a rural farming community, Alexis resisted traditions that demanded conformity, especially for women, and rejected the use of religion to justify inequality. For her, secular identity means valuing curiosity, questioning, and living true to oneself.
The daughter of a South Korean immigrant, Alexis has been shaped by her working-class background and the example of her parents’ determination. She believes destiny is not predetermined by faith but forged through persistence and courage. These values have guided her activism, including raising concerns about church-state separation as a legislative page at the Oklahoma State Capitol, where she spoke out against efforts to mandate Bibles in public schools.
Alexis has also advocated for LGBTQ+ peers when her school informally banned same-sex dates from dances and plans to continue her activism by focusing on racial justice and fairness in the legal system. She is committed to organizing discussions on sentencing disparities and connecting with groups like the ACLU and Innocence Project. For her, the Secular Student Alliance represents belonging and empowerment, and this scholarship affirms both her educational journey and her vision for a more just and humanistic future.
Alexis’ scholarship is sponsored by Oklahoma Atheists.
Amelia | University of Central Florida
Amelia Keefe is a student at the University of Central Florida pursuing a double major in Computer Engineering and Theme Park & Attraction Management, along with a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A member of the UCF Burnett Honors College, she previously earned her Associate of Arts degree with honors through dual enrollment at Eastern Florida State College before transferring to UCF.
At UCF, Amelia serves as secretary of the Knights Racing Baja SAE team, where she applies engineering concepts in designing and racing off-road vehicles. She also volunteers with the UCF Arboretum and plans to pursue a GIS research internship focused on mapping and environmental management. Her long-term goal is to merge her passions for engineering, GIS, and themed entertainment into a career that blends creativity with technical innovation.
Amelia is active in campus life and recently joined UCF’s Secular Student Alliance chapter. She is committed to outreach, peer support, and connecting SSA with the neurodiversity community to create inclusive programming. She has also participated in LGBTQ+ advocacy and values spaces that encourage equal rights, evidence-based dialogue, and open discussion.
Raised in a secular household that emphasized inquiry and critical thinking, Amelia has carried these values into her academic and personal journey. As a neurodivergent student, she has developed resilience and creativity that strengthen her work in engineering and leadership. Committed to funding her own education, she views this scholarship as vital support in reducing financial stress and enabling her to focus on innovation, inclusivity, and impact.
Ava | Manalapan High School
Ava is a high school student at Manalapan High School in New Jersey, graduating in 2026. She plans to study psychology and neuroscience, aiming for a career at the intersection of science and empathy through clinical work, research, or community-based mental health support. Her long-term goal is to reduce stigma around mental illness and expand equitable access to care through evidence-based practice.
Identifying as agnostic and culturally Jewish, Ava was raised with both Jewish and Catholic traditions in a cultural, rather than religious, way. These experiences reinforced her belief in church–state separation, respect for diverse beliefs, and a secular worldview grounded in equality, consent, and individual autonomy. Her commitment to mental health advocacy further strengthens her focus on reason and compassion.
Ava founded and leads the Secular Student Activists club, organizing meetings and awareness efforts on secularism, science education, mental health, and church–state separation. She also contributes to intersectional activism through the Empower and Help Club, where she writes for Teen Ventures Magazine, mentors peers, and advocates for inclusive, stigma-free mental health support and LGBTQ+ inclusion.
This year, Ava plans to expand her club’s programming with events, collaborations, and guest speakers, while continuing to publish on secular values and mental health. She hopes to remain engaged in secular and humanist organizations in college and contribute to civic efforts like voter registration. Facing financial challenges as part of a single-income household, Ava values this scholarship as vital support to continue her education and activism while building a future rooted in reason, compassion, and justice.
Ava is the recipient of the FFRF Al Luneman Student Activist Award.
We are honored to work with amazing student leaders. We hope that you will join us in supporting secular students across the country.
Belén | California State University, Los Angeles
Belén is a graduate student at California State University, Los Angeles, pursuing a master’s degree with an expected graduation in 2027. Their goal is to serve Title I youth as a school social worker, advocating for LGBTQ+ students to not only exist but thrive in educational environments. Through inclusive programming, gender-affirming services, and culturally competent case management, they hope to shape a generation that embraces queerness as an integral part of humanity.
They identify as a humanist, a worldview shaped by their upbringing as the child of formerly undocumented immigrants and experiences of violence, housing insecurity, and systemic barriers. Therapy helped Belén place these struggles in context and reinforced their conviction that compassion, empathy, and justice arise from community rather than religion. Their secular identity is rooted in the belief that all people deserve food, shelter, education, and healthcare as basic rights, without needing faith to justify them.
Belén’s intersecting identities—low-income background, queer identity, and being the child of Latine immigrants—have shown them how faith-based politics often undermine critical support systems while condemning LGBTQ+ lives. These experiences fuel their commitment to ensuring queer youth of color feel seen, safe, and celebrated in schools. Their activism reflects these values, from volunteering with Freedom for Immigrants to supporting detained immigrants, to providing trauma-informed care, reproductive health resources, and mentorship through organizations such as Scripps Advocates, Pomona Valley Hospital’s Health Bridges program, Critical Resistance, and Pomona College’s Queer Resource Center.
This year, Belén will intern with USC’s Keck School of Medicine’s Street Medicine team, serving unhoused populations with holistic care and case management. Having faced housing insecurity and financial hardship themselves, they have balanced multiple jobs while studying full-time to cover basic needs. This scholarship reduces those burdens and allows them to focus more fully on their education and their path toward becoming a justice-driven school social worker.
Belén’s scholarship is sponsored by Secular Woman.
Breann | Ventura Community College
Breann is a student at Ventura Community College, graduating in May 2026 with plans to transfer to UCLA to study global studies and sociology. She is working toward a career in human rights, with the goal of earning a master’s degree and creating a community-led organization that bridges systemic gaps between Indigenous communities and government policy. Her focus is on protecting sovereignty and ensuring that agreements with Indigenous peoples are honored and implemented.
Raised in a strict Christian household, Breann identifies as agnostic after questioning the beliefs she was taught. She believes secularism is essential to preserving democracy and challenging the rise of Christian nationalism. Her worldview is shaped by her awareness of how organized religion has been used to suppress Indigenous traditions, restrict women’s rights, and influence immigration debates. These experiences fuel her conviction that human rights and social policy must be guided by secular values.
Breann is deeply engaged in activism through VC Defensa, a coalition in her community advocating for church–state separation and human rights. She has helped organize protests, tabled at community events, and led educational efforts on the dangers of religiously motivated policy. The coalition also mobilizes against illegal ICE raids, delivers food to families who feel unsafe, and connects residents with critical resources. Breann’s leadership roles include protest security, event organizing, volunteer coordination, and participation in subcommittees on organizing, family support, and research.
This year, Breann plans to organize a fundraiser to support her coalition’s work, continue advocating for immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, and pursue starting an SSA chapter at Ventura Community College. She values SSA’s commitment to justice and dignity, seeing it as a way to strengthen secular organizing and systemic change. A scholarship helps relieve the financial burden of self-funding her education while enabling her to continue both her studies and her activism.
Breann’s scholarship is sponsored by Atheists United, Inland Empire Atheists Agnostics and Humanists, and the Humanist Society of Santa Barbara.
Cameron | University of Central Florida
Cameron is a graduate student at the University of Central Florida pursuing a Master’s in Nonprofit Management, with an expected graduation in December 2026. A member of the Secular Student Alliance, he is an outspoken advocate for church–state separation, First Amendment freedoms, and LGBTQ+ equality. His identity as an atheist is rooted in growing up amid fundamentalist rhetoric in North Carolina and Florida, experiences that shaped his early organizing against book bans and “Don’t Say Gay” policies and continue to guide his commitment to secular values.
Queerness and a working-class background also inform Cameron’s social-justice lens. Secularism helped him reject stigma and embrace a broader vision of equity, dignity, and democratic participation. He carried these values into founding the Florida Youth Action Fund (YAF), where as Executive Director he has grown the organization from a $50,000 seed grant and one staff member to a $1.5 million budget with 12 full-time staff. Through programs like SPARK and ACTIVATE, YAF has supported more than 77 youth-led campaigns, trained over 600 young leaders, and placed many in nonprofits, campaigns, and legislative offices.
Cameron’s organizing portfolio includes co-leading the 2022 statewide “Don’t Say Gay” student walkouts, launching protests against local book bans, and helping elect school-board candidates who defended LGBTQ+ students in conservative communities. He has also led voter-registration and turnout efforts, mobilized hundreds of Gen-Z Floridians to the State Capitol, and built partnerships that emphasize leadership training and long-term youth empowerment.
This year, his focus is on expanding YAF’s reach among working-class youth by building workplace and neighborhood organizing capacity. He is launching a “Labor Leaders Bootcamp” and developing a Florida Youth Worker’s Center to help young people organize their workplaces while advancing secular, democratic values. As a first-generation student from a low-income family, Cameron faces significant financial challenges, and scholarship support helps sustain his graduate studies while enabling him to continue building youth-led secular organizing across Florida.
Cameron’s scholarship is sponsored by The Central Florida Freethought Community.
Chloe | University of Akron
Chloe is a student at the University of Akron, graduating in May 2026. A first-generation college student and mother of two, she is pursuing a degree in biology with plans to become a doctor. Her long-term goal is to practice medicine in underserved communities, offering compassionate care rooted in listening and human connection. For Chloe, education has opened doors she once thought were closed to her, and she is determined to use it to give back to others.
She identifies as an atheist, a commitment that grew from questioning the Catholic faith she was raised in. After witnessing abuse excused within religious spaces, Chloe chose a path grounded in reason, accountability, and honesty. Her secular values now guide both her life and her parenting, as she raises her children to think critically, ask questions, and form their own beliefs freely. For her, secularism is a commitment to integrity, compassion, and responsibility.
As a Black woman, Chloe has also seen how Catholic institutions reinforced inequality through racial disparities and silence around injustice. These experiences strengthened her dedication to truth and fairness, leading her to embrace a secular worldview that refuses to look away from systemic inequities. Her activism, though often quiet, demonstrates that empathy, fairness, and morality need not depend on religion but arise from human values.
This year, Chloe plans to deepen her involvement with the University of Akron Secular Student Alliance, organizing events on parenting without religion, identity, and secular approaches to empathy and social action. She also hopes to mentor new members and ensure inclusivity in her chapter. She views SSA as a vital community for secular students and sees her future career in medicine as an extension of these values. A scholarship reduces financial strain, helping her balance studies, activism, and motherhood while affirming that her voice as a Black atheist mother and future doctor is valued and supported.
Chloe is the recipient of the Zora Neale Hurston Scholarship - awarded jointly by Black Nonbelievers and the Secular Student Alliance.
Chloe | University of California, Los Angeles
Chloe is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, majoring in Asian American Studies with an expected graduation in June 2026. She plans to pursue a JD and a career in public interest law, advocating for policy change through community-based approaches. As a second-generation Korean Filipina and granddaughter of war refugees, her heritage informs her academic work and activism, with a focus on immigration, labor justice, and healthcare.
Her secular identity was shaped by an interfaith upbringing that encouraged open exploration and discourse. Researching decolonial practices native to her culture deepened her commitment to justice and humanitarianism, while exposure to multiple traditions revealed the dangers of Christian nationalism and the importance of religious freedom. She now frames church–state separation as both a humanitarian and racial justice issue, using culturally grounded approaches to unify communities in movement building.
Chloe’s activism is rooted in her identity as a woman of color and her studies in Ethnic Studies. She has examined the impacts of eugenics, forced sterilization, and reproductive barriers on women of color, recognizing how religious influence drives such policies. Her work has included expanding Gen Z engagement with Americans United for Separation of Church and State, speaking on reproductive rights, co-hosting mobilizations for legislation such as the Equality Act, and presenting nationally at events including Netroots Nation. Beyond secular advocacy, she co-founded Melanated Youth, represented 26,000 students as Student Trustee of Fullerton College, and helped secure funding to establish the school’s first APIDA Center. She now serves as a Smart Justice Fellow with the Michelson Foundation, researching policy to improve wages and safety for incarcerated firefighters.
At UCLA, Chloe is pursuing an honors thesis on gendered violence in immigrant communities and studying Critical Refugee and Critical Race Studies. She also plans to establish a Public Interest Law Association chapter on campus. For her, the Secular Student Alliance provides a vital space for students to live authentically and collaborate freely. This scholarship eases financial burdens, supports her law school preparation, and enables her to continue advancing equity, representation, and secular values.
Chloe’s scholarship is sponsored by Atheists United, Inland Empire Atheists Agnostics and Humanists, and the Humanist Society of Santa Barbara.
Donte | Clark Atlanta University
Donte is a freshman at Clark Atlanta University pursuing a dual degree in physics and robotics engineering with a concentration in robotic systems. His fascination with circuits began in childhood and grew into a passion in high school through robotics club leadership, a summer program in embedded systems, and an internship at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab where he co-created a fall detection device. These experiences cemented his career goal of building reliable systems that serve communities, particularly the Black community, while mentoring younger students from similar backgrounds.
An atheist since childhood, Donte came to secularism by choice and persistence. Free from pressure to conform to religion, he embraced self-determination and the belief that effort—not faith—builds the future. For him, secularism provides freedom from external expectations and a foundation for stability through education and community.
His identity as an African American and LGBTQ+ student in spaces where religion often dominates has strengthened his resolve for critical questioning and independent thought. Rather than discouragement, this tension has solidified his commitment to integrity and authenticity. His activism has included challenging Christian remarks from administrators, speaking out against stereotypes in class, and supporting classmates facing bias or exclusion. These experiences taught him that activism often begins with small, everyday acts of courage.
Now in college, Donte plans to create forums that welcome dialogue between secular and religious students while continuing to center equity and inclusion. As an independent minor with little family support, he has faced financial hardship, sometimes with semester gaps as high as $7,000. Despite painful rejection from relatives, he remains determined to build a future through perseverance and education. Receiving this scholarship eases financial strain and allows him to focus on his studies and his goal of becoming a robotics engineer.
Donte is a recipient of the FFRF Cliff Richards Memorial Scholarship.
Dustin | Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law
Dustin is a student at Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law, pursuing a Juris Doctor degree with an expected graduation in 2028. With academic interests in constitutional, employment, Title IX, and civil law, they plan to practice in Tennessee and beyond, focusing on supporting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, sex trafficking, and other forms of abuse. Dustin also hopes to contribute to law review work on Establishment Clause issues and legal strategies for holding institutions accountable for systemic failures.
Identifying as nonreligious, Dustin’s experiences as a student complainant deepened their appreciation for secular advocacy in protecting religious liberty. They have seen how state-sponsored religion erodes civil rights for women, LGBTQIA+ people, nonreligious individuals, and other marginalized communities. These experiences reinforced their belief that free exercise of religion is a constitutional protection—not a tool for government actors to impose beliefs on others—and strongly influenced their decision to pursue a career in law.
Since 2017, Dustin has been active in addressing Establishment Clause violations in public schools and government offices across Tennessee and neighboring states. They have collaborated with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the ACLU, American Atheists, and the American Humanist Association to push for accountability and uphold constitutional protections.
Their advocacy also extends into broader social justice work. Dustin has volunteered with the Avalon Center Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program and contributed to national prevention programs such as End Violence Against Women International and the Zero Abuse Project. Through these efforts, they have amplified marginalized voices and worked to dismantle harmful institutional practices. Guided by resilience, secular values, and a commitment to justice, Dustin is determined to use their legal career to defend civil rights and advance a more secular, humanistic future.
Dustin is the recipient of the FFRF Al Luneman Student Activist Award.
Elijah| Clark Atlanta University
Elijah is a Biology major at Clark Atlanta University on a pre-medicine track, working toward his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. His educational path includes completing his bachelor’s degree, pursuing a master’s in neuroscience and healthcare administration, and then earning an MD/MBA. He hopes to combine expertise in medicine and healthcare systems to address disparities and improve access to care.
His secular identity developed through resilience and self-reflection. Growing up without consistent support and later facing housing insecurity taught him that purpose and compassion come not from doctrine but from lived experience and community. For Elijah, secularism is about building values through empathy, integrity, and service. As he pursues medicine, it guides him to treat all patients equally, with dignity and respect, regardless of faith or background.
On campus, Elijah serves as the American Red Cross HBCU Ambassador, organizing blood drives and emergency preparedness initiatives. Off campus, he works as a Patient Care Technician at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, ensuring patients receive compassionate, dignified care. This year, he plans to expand blood donations at Clark Atlanta—particularly to address sickle cell disease—bring “Stop the Bleed” training to campus, and raise awareness about Black maternal health disparities. These initiatives reflect secular principles by centering humanity and ethical action above religious motivation.
Elijah has faced housing insecurity and pursued education without familial support, balancing full-time coursework with employment. Financial hardship has limited his ability to pursue research and professional development. A scholarship helps reduce these burdens, allowing him to focus on his studies, service, and leadership. For Elijah, the Secular Student Alliance’s mission of compassion, equity, and service mirrors the values he strives to embody as a student, future physician, and advocate for underserved communities.
Elijah’s scholarship is sponsored by The Rationalist Society Of Saint Louis.
Emma | University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Emma is a Political Science Pre-Law student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with growing interest in shifting her studies toward Social Work to align with her career goals. Her passion lies in affordable housing, whether as a service provider, ethical developer, or urban planner. She has already worked with Housing & Neighborhood Development in local government, supported homelessness prevention programs, and addressed the Guilford County Commissioners to advocate for rental assistance. Her guiding principle is to live a life rooted in impact, securing housing for others and offering kindness where it is needed most.
Her secular identity falls between agnostic and atheist. As a Black woman, she has wrestled with the idea of a God who could allow atrocities such as slavery or the Holocaust without intervention. She believes morality comes from human responsibility rather than scripture, and this conviction continues to shape her advocacy and service.
Gender, sexuality, and race intersect deeply with her worldview. As a lesbian, she questions why love is condemned as sinful while hatred is excused. As a woman, she resists narratives that diminish or subjugate women. And as a Black American, she rejects traditions historically weaponized against her ancestors. These realities have made her unwilling to accept systems that demand obedience at the cost of dignity.
Emma’s activism reflects these values. She has helped secure $400,000 in rental assistance funding from Guilford County, participated in the Homelessness Memorial March, and volunteered as a Court Watcher to connect tenants with legal and social resources. This year, she is serving as Vice President of Community Outreach and Advocacy for UNCG’s Residence Hall Association, interning with Root Legal in Miami, and assisting with a City Council campaign in Greensboro. For Emma, the Secular Student Alliance provides community in resisting Christian nationalism and affirming secular values. Scholarship support eases financial pressure from her single-parent household, allowing her to focus on her studies and long-term goal of advancing housing justice.
Emma's scholarship is sponsored by The Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle.
Erick | Arizona State University
Erick is a first-year psychology student at Arizona State University, graduating in 2029. He plans to earn a bachelor’s degree and continue to graduate school, either as a licensed professional counselor or by pursuing a doctorate to practice as a clinical psychologist. His long-term goals include moving to Colorado, adopting a child, and building a career that allows him to support others while living authentically.
His secular identity was shaped by growing up in a divided household, where strict religious rules left him questioning their foundations. Moments like being scolded for saying “Oh my god” made him realize religion often instills fear rather than fostering moral understanding. Erick rejects the idea that morality requires divine punishment, believing instead that people should act rightly because it is inherently good. He values religious freedom but firmly opposes religion being used to spread hate, seeing secular values as central to his education and activism.
As a gay transgender man, Erick has faced hostility rooted in religious belief, from peers threatening him with eternal punishment to his father considering conversion therapy. These experiences solidified his rejection of religious systems that condemn people for living authentically. His identity drives his advocacy for transgender youth and LGBTQ+ communities. He has volunteered with the Bullhead City Pride Center, GLSEN, and Education Action Alliance, focusing on LGBTQ+ rights, church–state separation, and educational equity.
Moving from a small, religiously dominated town to a larger city for college, Erick hopes to expand his activism by connecting with broader networks and starting a Secular Student Alliance chapter at ASU. Raised by a single mother after leaving an abusive household, he has witnessed her sacrifices and struggles to afford higher education. Receiving this scholarship reduces financial pressure, eases his mother’s worries, and supports his dream of becoming a clinical psychologist dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ people live with dignity and authenticity.
Erick's scholarship is sponsored by The Freedom From Religion Foundation Valley of the Sun Chapter.
Hannah | University of North Florida
Hannah is a student at the University of North Florida pursuing a degree in International Relations with minors in Philosophy and Environmental Studies, graduating in May 2025. She plans to pursue a career in refugee resettlement, a passion shaped by her AmeriCorps service in “Operation Allies Welcome,” where she assisted evacuees from Afghanistan.
She asserts her secular identity openly, seeing it as a way to build genuine connections and remain committed to honesty, even if it sets her apart. On campus, Hannah serves as President of Interfaith at UNF, a student organization that continues to promote religious and nonreligious tolerance after the state-mandated closure of the university’s Interfaith Center. She believes differences between people are not barriers but opportunities for deeper understanding.
Beyond campus, Hannah has been active in community service and national service projects across the country. She has contributed to wildfire recovery in California, cultural preservation with the Shoshone-Bannock in Idaho, environmental restoration and education initiatives, and advocacy for immigrants, refugees, and educational justice in Florida. She also participated in the ACLU’s National Advocacy Institute, furthering her knowledge of civil liberties.
This year, Hannah plans to expand interfaith and secular dialogue at UNF through events, collaborations, and discussions that promote inclusion and understanding. For her, the Secular Student Alliance represents a national movement committed to protecting and uplifting secular and humanist values, and she looks forward to contributing to that mission on campus and beyond.
Hannah's scholarship is sponsored by The First Coast Freethought Society.
Jailene | Arizona State University
Jailene is a graduate student at Arizona State University pursuing a master’s degree in architecture, with an expected graduation in May 2028. After earning her bachelor’s in interior architecture, she is now focused on designing spaces that promote equity, sustainability, and healing. Her long-term goal is to become a licensed architect and open a sustainable design studio and art gallery in Bisbee, Arizona, specializing in adaptive reuse, trauma-informed design, and biophilic spaces for underserved communities.
Her secular identity was shaped by her upbringing in a strict Jehovah’s Witness household where questioning was discouraged. Recognizing contradictions in the faith, she chose to leave religion and instead ground herself in logic, ethics, and accountability. For Jailene, secularism is not an absence of meaning but a framework built on reason, compassion, and freedom from fear-based control.
As a Latina woman, child of immigrants, and survivor of generational trauma, she has seen religion used to marginalize women, queer people, and undocumented families like her own. She has reclaimed agency by turning to secularism and channeling cultural traditions into creativity and art. This perspective informs her academic work, where she seeks to design inclusive, justice-driven spaces and integrate secular values into architecture.
Jailene’s activism spans reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ inclusion, immigrant justice, and sustainability. She has organized peer support for students leaving high-control religions and used her projects to promote secular design principles. This year, she plans to launch Floreciendo Arte, a digital platform highlighting culturally rooted design and marginalized creatives in architecture, while developing projects addressing housing insecurity through adaptive reuse. Facing significant financial barriers, she has worked multiple jobs and even donated plasma to cover expenses. A scholarship helps reduce this burden, allowing her to focus on her studies and her vision of creating healing spaces that empower communities.
Jailene's scholarship is sponsored by The Secular Coalition for Arizona.
We are honored to work with amazing student leaders. We hope that you will join us in supporting secular students across the country.
Kris | Pima Community College
Kris is a student at Pima Community College with an expected graduation in January 2027. She plans to transfer to the University of Arizona to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Mexican American Studies, followed by a PhD. Her decision to study this field stems from reconnecting with her Indigenous Mexican heritage through family history and DNA testing. As a mother of three, she is committed to balancing her education with raising her children while working to preserve and teach the history of her people.
Her secular identity was shaped by being raised in a religious cult and by the personal loss of a child. These experiences led her to reject organized religion and its influence over vulnerable people. She believes religion should not dictate public life or policy and has chosen to raise her children outside of religious structures, teaching them instead to respect others and think independently.
As a bisexual woman of Indigenous Mexican descent, Kris is acutely aware of the religious trauma caused by colonization and Catholic influence, which suppressed traditions that once embraced gender and sexual diversity. This history motivates her to speak out against religious-based discrimination and advocate for marginalized communities. While not yet involved in formal secular activism on campus, she sees raising her children without religious indoctrination as resistance and uses her social media platform to amplify marginalized voices, advocate for equal rights, and share her personal testimony.
This year, Kris plans to volunteer at migrant shelters alongside her professors and peers, supporting advocacy against injustices such as family separations and detentions. She values the Secular Student Alliance for providing a counterbalance to the dominance of religious organizations on campus and hopes to contribute to its mission of creating inclusive, secular communities. Facing financial challenges as a stay-at-home mother supported by a single income, Kris is determined to secure scholarships to continue her studies and pursue her long-term academic and career goals.
Kris' scholarship is sponsored by The Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix.
Kyan | University of California, Berkeley
Kyan is a first-year student at UC Berkeley majoring in Cognitive Science with plans to integrate Systems Engineering. He is interested in how memory, perception, and bias shape real-world systems and hopes to build evidence-based technologies that surface patterns of neglect and provide communities with practical pathways through local and campus institutions. His long-term goal is to design tools that improve well-being for groups often overlooked by existing infrastructures.
He identifies as a secular humanist, a worldview formed after witnessing how shame and rigid authority were used in religious settings to police identity. Rather than relying on divine command, Kyan grounds morality in empathy, reflection, and action. Choosing secular humanism has allowed him to honor his Mexican and Polish Catholic heritage while rejecting exclusion and defending LGBTQ+ family and peers on human grounds.
Kyan’s activism blends experiential design and community engagement. He produced a student video series that taught more than 2,400 classmates about underrepresented communities and mental health resources, earning a regional NATAS nomination for one of his films. He restructured his Environmental Club’s recycling program to emphasize teamwork, researched accessibility for blind, deaf, and hard-of-hearing viewers with Dostępni.eu, and tutored peers in Mexico in Python and data science, helping them build over twenty projects and begin mentoring others. He also supports cultural belonging through Latino Club outreach.
This year, Kyan plans to launch the Latino Innovation Collective in partnership with Berkeley organizations. Planned projects include a bilingual mental health chatbot for Oakland teens, a rights education app for police encounters, and pro bono operations support for immigrant-owned small businesses. For Kyan, the Secular Student Alliance resonates because it equips students to organize and advocate without compromise. Receiving a scholarship helps support his tuition and enables him to focus on building systems that unite data with community outreach.
Kyan's scholarship is sponsored by The Secular Student Alliance.
Kyle | Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School
Kyle is a high school student at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, preparing to graduate in 2026. Passionate about history and political science, he hopes to attend a top university and continue to graduate school. One of his proudest accomplishments is founding the Valley Forge Audio Tour, a free project using geolocation and AI narration to share Revolutionary War stories. His goal is to build similar projects that make history more accessible and inclusive.
Raised Catholic but now identifying as an atheist and secularist, Kyle became nonreligious through independent study in middle and high school. Learning how religion tied to government has fueled injustice—from the Salem Witch Trials to modern faith-based opposition to human rights—convinced him of the importance of church–state separation. His Hispanic and Irish heritage also shaped his perspective, as choosing secularism was an intentional act of independence in strongly religious families.
Kyle has been outspoken about secular values in academics, often raising questions about religion’s role in governance. In AP European History and Socratic Seminar, he sparked discussions that led one teacher to dedicate a lesson to New Atheism. His Valley Forge project reflects these same values, intentionally uplifting marginalized voices in history, including women, Native Americans, and Black individuals who contributed to the Revolutionary War.
Outside the classroom, he balances AP and honors courses with leadership as President of the Interact Rotary Club, Treasurer of Student Council and the Environmental Club, and contributor to the Yearbook Club. He also works as a peer tutor and has been recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction, William Penn Leadership Award recipient, and National Hispanic Recognition Program honoree. Looking ahead, Kyle hopes to join a secular student group at the university level to continue advancing secularism, inclusivity, and historical awareness. Scholarship support helps him manage financial strain from AP exams and college preparation, allowing him to excel academically while expanding his projects and leadership.
Kyle's scholarship is sponsored by PA Non-believers.
Kyria | Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health
Kyria is a graduate student at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, pursuing a degree in public health with plans to graduate in 2026. She aims to combine medicine and public health to advance health equity, evidence-based care, and patient autonomy while dismantling systemic inequalities in healthcare. Her long-term goal is to practice as a physician while also serving as an advocate for science and justice.
She identifies as a Luciferian atheist, a worldview grounded in reason, evidence, and intellectual integrity. Kyria came to atheism after rejecting theism as unproven and harmful, recognizing her Christian upbringing as circumstantial rather than chosen. She engages with philosophy and symbolic practices like meditation and calligraphy for reflection, framing secular identity as a pursuit of truth, justice, and knowledge without supernatural belief.
As an Afro-Latina, queer woman from a working-class family, Kyria has witnessed religion used to uphold colonialism, anti-Blackness, and economic exploitation. Her lesbian identity reinforces her rejection of doctrines that condemn queer people while excusing systemic injustice. These experiences fuel her advocacy for racial, economic, and LGBTQ+ justice, which she connects closely to her secular commitments.
On campus, Kyria founded Emory Secular Students to create a supportive space for nonreligious students and has worked with administrators and interfaith leaders to elevate secular voices. Off campus, she has collaborated with Black Nonbelievers, spoken at events such as Revival of Reason, and joined demonstrations like the Stand Up for Science rally. She continues to write, organize, and engage in activism—from supporting Students for Socialism to participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations—while planning to expand her advocacy through podcasting and integrating her medical and cultural perspectives into future work.
Kyria is the recipient of the Thomas W Jendrock Secular Student Alliance Scholarship.
Lola Rose | University of Colorado Boulder
Lola Rose is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder, with minors in Sociology and Portuguese and a certificate in Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies. She hopes to build a career in politics, NGOs, or grassroots organizations supporting marginalized communities in the U.S. and abroad. By combining studies in language, sociology, and global affairs, she aims to advance peace, equity, and justice while living a life rooted in service and advocacy.
Raised in a non-religious household, Lola Rose has carried humanistic values from an early age. Her mother left Catholicism after finding it unconvincing, modeling independent thought and critical inquiry. Growing up in North Carolina, she often questioned why religious groups sought to impose their beliefs on others. For her, secularism means valuing people, knowledge, and empathy without reliance on a religious framework.
Identity is central to her secular worldview. As a woman, she is a strong advocate for reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy. As a bisexual woman, she rejects the notion that religion or government should dictate who someone can love or marry. She views Christian nationalism as a direct threat to these freedoms and sees secularism as essential to protecting equality and dignity.
Her activism includes organizing around nonviolent resistance movements and joining protests against Christian nationalism and harmful policies. She has also demonstrated against genocide in Palestine and works on campus to secure funding for humanities programs and resist efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. After excelling at Front Range Community College with a 4.0 GPA, she transferred to CU Boulder, where she supports herself by working 20–30 hours a week to cover expenses. Ineligible for federal grants, she faces significant financial strain, and this scholarship helps her complete her degree and pursue her calling to advocate for human rights, equity, and secular values.
Lola Rose's scholarship is sponsored by FFRF Metro Denver Chapter.
Mary | Delaware State University
Mary is a social work student at Delaware State University pursuing her degree with the goal of opening a trauma recovery nonprofit for women of color. She envisions creating programs that dismantle stigma around therapy in urban communities like her hometown of Camden, NJ. Balancing school with work, caregiving, and her own ADHD, she views her academic journey as breaking generational cycles and building a foundation for community healing.
Her secular identity formed gradually as she questioned why religion left her feeling guilty and anxious rather than supported. She realized she did not need faith to live with integrity or compassion, and today secular humanism guides her choices toward empathy, self-awareness, and action. She embodies these values through volunteering, public speaking, and creating safe, judgment-free spaces for others.
As a Black woman from a low-income background, Mary has faced stereotypes about both race and secular identity. She describes being Black and secular in America as “playing double dodgeball,” facing judgment from multiple directions. These experiences fuel her commitment to challenge systems that use religion as control and to create spaces where healing and worth are not tied to spirituality. Her activism includes supporting survivors of domestic violence through SERV, organizing secular mental health check-ins, providing peer support for students with trauma histories, and distributing care kits for women in shelters.
This year, she plans to launch Healing Without Hallelujah circles at her HBCU, monthly gatherings that create safe spaces for students of color to discuss trauma, family, and faith transitions without judgment. Partnering with the counseling center, she hopes to normalize secular healing and reduce stigma around therapy, especially for first-generation students. Mary values the Secular Student Alliance for offering belonging and collective power to nonreligious students and hopes to expand SSA’s reach to reflect the voices of students of color in humanism and secular activism. A scholarship will help relieve financial pressures, giving her stability to focus on her academic and activist goals.
Mary’s scholarship is sponsored by the American Humanist Association.
Muntakim | University of Texas, San Antonio
Muntakim is pursuing a Master’s in Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio, with an expected graduation in December 2025. His academic work focuses on advanced computing and quantum technologies, and his long-term goal is to merge hardware design, secure communication, and quantum computing through interdisciplinary leadership. He also cares deeply about inclusive, evidence-based education and hopes to stay engaged in mentorship and advocacy throughout his career.
He identifies as a secular humanist, guided by critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and ethical living without reliance on supernatural beliefs. Growing up in a religious environment, he found that secularism offered the freedom to live authentically and ground morality in reason, empathy, and community. As an apostate from Islam, he has experienced the challenges of leaving a dominant faith and now advocates for freedom of thought, conscience rights, and protections for dissenters.
On campus, Muntakim serves as Public Relations Director for the Secular Student Alliance at UTSA, where he amplifies student voices on secular ethics, science-based policy, and freedom of expression. Beyond campus, he participated in the #WeWantJustice protests of 2018 in Dhaka, facing police harassment and threats of detainment while calling for reform. These experiences strengthened his commitment to human rights, free expression, and the right to protest.
This year, he and his SSA chapter plan to collaborate with REACH on reproductive health education and organize events on freedom of expression and bodily autonomy, including opposition to campus drag bans. He also hopes to build ties with Ex-Muslim organizations to support students navigating similar challenges. Having faced both ideological discrimination and financial hardship in his education, including delays after his father’s death, Muntakim views this scholarship as vital support to continue his graduate studies and advance secular values, academic freedom, and inclusion for marginalized students.
Muntakim’s scholarship is sponsored by the Freethinkers Association of Central Texas.
Olivia | The George Washington University
Olivia is a first-year Political Science student at The George Washington University, pursuing a Public Policy focus with a minor in Peace Studies. They hope to continue into GW’s dual J.D./Master of Public Policy program and eventually earn an LL.M. in Legislation. Their long-term goal is to practice law with the ACLU, defending constitutional rights while advancing gender, LGBTQ+, and Indigenous justice.
They identify as an Indigenous-focused humanist, shaped by their Miskito heritage and their experiences as a queer, genderqueer student in Louisiana. Raised among Catholic and Baptist relatives, they came to see the traditions they valued as cultural rather than religious. Their secular worldview deepened in high school after restrictive laws dismantled their school’s GSA, sharpening their commitment to authenticity, equality, and decolonization.
Olivia’s activism reflects these values. They organized through High School Democrats of America against legislation mandating Bible and Ten Commandments displays in public schools, co-led cross-state statements, and presented research on Nicaragua’s revolutionary history and religion. As a GSA leader, they coordinated clothing drives for trans students and organized Trans Day of Visibility celebrations, affirming joy and solidarity as resistance. They have also lobbied for the Equal Rights Amendment and volunteered with feminist and progressive groups to expand protections for marginalized communities.
At GW, Olivia plans to join feminist organizations, support immigrant legal aid, and build coalitions for secular activism in Washington, D.C. They view the Secular Student Alliance as a vital space for collaboration across religious and nonreligious communities in resisting Christian nationalism. Coming from a low-income family already burdened by debt, Olivia faces significant financial strain despite Pell grants and institutional aid. This scholarship helps close a $14,000 tuition gap, allowing them to focus on academics, organizing, and preparing for a career dedicated to defending constitutional freedoms and human dignity.
Olivia’s scholarship is sponsored by the Secular Student Alliance.
Parth | University of Southern California
Parth is a junior at the University of Southern California, double-majoring in History and American Studies & Ethnicity. He plans to pursue a joint JD/MPP program after graduation, building on experiences such as his internship in the D.C. Office of Representative Hillary Scholten. That role sparked his interest in returning to Capitol Hill and pursuing a legal career focused on constitutional law, public interest policy, and civil rights litigation.
His secular identity grew less from religious roots than from disinterest in faith, sharpened by witnessing Hindu nationalism in India, where the Bharatiya Janata Party blurred the line between religion and politics. Watching how this shift shaped his family’s outlook solidified his commitment to secularism and the separation of church and state.
As a queer Indian immigrant, Parth’s perspective is also shaped by colonial history. He reflects on how pre-colonial Indian culture embraced fluidity in gender and sexuality, only for those values to be suppressed by Christian colonial rule. That legacy continues to affect immigrant communities today, making his secular and activist commitments deeply personal.
On campus and beyond, Parth has pursued activism through the Americans United Youth Organizing Fellowship, writing on discriminatory bathroom policies and Supreme Court cases affecting queer youth. He organized an event at USC with the founder of Muslims for Progressive Values and launched the SC Activist Incubator to help students design advocacy projects. Looking ahead, he plans to expand his work through research on South Asian queer youth in Indian politics, volunteering with queer rights groups in London during study abroad, and advancing law and policy to promote equality and human rights.
Parth is the recipient of the LGBTQ+ student activist scholarship.
Rafael | Western Illinois University
Rafael is a student at Western Illinois University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Physics, graduating in July 2026. He previously earned an Associate of Science from Moraine Valley Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Illinois Springfield. His academic goals include earning a PhD in physics and a master’s in engineering, with plans for a career as a researcher and instructor at a government institution while serving as a commissioned officer in the U.S. military. Long term, he hopes to run for school board and local office to defend secular values and protect students’ First Amendment rights.
Rafael identifies as agnostic, a conviction he embraced at nineteen after questioning his Roman Catholic upbringing. Influenced by authors such as Carl Sagan and Dan Brown, he began a process of deconstruction that led to living authentically without religion. He now openly identifies as a nonreligious and gay soldier in the U.S. Army National Guard, recognizing the importance of visibility in traditionally Christian-normative environments. Though he has faced hostility and misunderstanding, he responds with resilience and stands firm against bigotry, filing official complaints when necessary.
As a first-generation Mexican American and gay man, Rafael understands the tensions that arise when religious traditions dominate cultural expectations. He often serves as an informal ambassador for the secular and queer experience within his family and community, striving to bridge divides with diplomacy and humility. These intersecting identities strengthen his commitment to inclusivity and education.
Rafael has been deeply engaged in secular activism, co-founding an SSA chapter at the University of Illinois Springfield and organizing discussions on queer and nonreligious identities. At Western Illinois University, he revitalized the SSA chapter, represented the school at Secular Spring Break, and served as treasurer of Unity, WIU’s oldest LGBTQ+ organization. Looking ahead, he plans to secure official recognition for WIU SSA, expand programming with events like Graveyard of the Gods and a Winter Solstice celebration, and grow student participation in national projects. His activism and academic pursuits reflect a dedication to critical inquiry, community building, and the defense of secular values.
Rafael is the recipient of the FFRF Al Luneman Student Activist Award.
Roselyn | Birmingham Community Charter High School
Roselyn is a high school student at Birmingham Community Charter High School in California, preparing to graduate in 2027. She dreams of becoming an animatronics engineer, blending her love of STEM with the creativity of the arts. From an early age, she was fascinated by robots and design, even when told that girls should stick to dolls. Now she is determined to prove that women have a place in engineering and technology while showing that science and creativity can thrive together.
Her secular identity is still taking shape, but she connects strongly with humanism. Growing up, she attended church services more out of tradition than belief, and in high school, exposure to new ideas—including an AP Psychology lesson on humanism—encouraged her to define her own values. She was inspired by the idea that people can build meaning and morality through empathy, reason, and lived experience rather than religious obligation.
As a Hispanic young woman, Roselyn has seen how cultural expectations often confine women to marriage and motherhood. Rejecting these limitations has fueled her drive to pursue engineering and advocate for girls in STEM. Programs like Girls Who Code and the EPIC summer camp gave her skills, confidence, and a supportive environment in a male-dominated field. Although new to secular activism, she openly discusses humanism with peers and is committed to building community around shared values.
Her activism focuses on empowering women in technology and creating space where they feel seen and capable of pursuing their passions. She plans to start a STEM club at her school and build online groups encouraging girls to defy stereotypes. For Roselyn, the Secular Student Alliance is important because it offers students the chance to explore secular worldviews and find community. Financially, she faces challenges from her family’s limited income and the costs of caring for her sister with a disability. A scholarship will help her pursue higher education and move closer to her dream of using engineering to inspire creativity and inclusion.
Roselyn is the recipient of the Dr. Hector Avalos Scholarship, jointly sponsored by Hispanic American Freethinkers and the Secular Student Alliance.
Ryan | University of Central Florida
Ryan is a student at the University of Central Florida pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, with an expected graduation in May 2028. A member of Air Force ROTC, he plans to earn a commission upon graduation and later work as a civilian defense contractor designing technology to keep troops safe. A graduate of Melbourne High School, he also earned his AA degree with honors from Eastern Florida State College, where he joined Phi Theta Kappa and was nominated to the PTK All Florida Academic Team. His commitment to service stems from growing up in a military family and his years in JROTC, which gave him purpose, leadership experience, and camaraderie.
Ryan identifies as an atheist, raised with the freedom to think independently and never drawn to religion. For him, atheism is grounded in reason and the conviction that morality does not require faith. He views separation of church and state as essential and is deeply concerned about the growing influence of religious nationalism. His secular identity has shaped his values and strengthened his determination to defend constitutional freedoms as both a student and a future officer.
As a mixed-race Korean and Italian American, Ryan has witnessed racism, homophobia, and Christian nationalism firsthand in his community. These experiences reinforced his rejection of religious hypocrisy and deepened his commitment to equality and fairness. He sees his heritage and secular values as inseparable from his passion for social justice.
At UCF, Ryan looks forward to joining the Secular Student Alliance and raising awareness about threats to constitutional rights, including Project 2025 and its implications for personal freedom. He also mentors younger students through JROTC, encouraging them to pursue STEM and early college opportunities, and is committed to increasing representation of minorities in technical fields. Balancing full-time studies with 30 hours of work each week at Target, he is determined to earn scholarships that will reduce his workload and allow him to focus more fully on engineering, ROTC, and activism. This support will help him continue on his path toward becoming both an officer and an engineer dedicated to service, leadership, and protecting the freedoms of all.
Ryan's scholarship is sponsored by The First Coast Freethought Society.
Saoirse | Julia R. Masterman High School
Saoirse is a student at Julia R. Masterman in Philadelphia, graduating in May 2026. She plans to study political science in college and later pursue law school, with a focus on civic literacy and public service. After returning to high school following an extended medical absence, she rebuilt momentum by mastering missed coursework, taking summer classes, and seeking opportunities to connect learning with public life.
She identifies as an atheist, grounding her values in justice, empathy, and evidence rather than religious authority. Conversations at home about her parents’ experiences in strict Catholic schools and her own observations of religion in government sharpened her commitment to secularism. For Saoirse, secularism means personal responsibility, accountability, and ensuring government operates independently of religious doctrine, allowing individuals the freedom to form their own beliefs.
As a first-generation American with Irish immigrant parents, she has witnessed different approaches to belief within her family. Her mother, an atheist shaped by compulsory religious education, and her father, who holds quiet personal beliefs, modeled the importance of freedom in exploring belief on one’s own terms. Saoirse carries these lessons into her support for a culture that welcomes questions and resists coercion.
Her activism centers on voting rights and civic education. She volunteered for the Kamala Harris campaign, canvassed neighborhoods after school, and joined her school’s Get Out to Vote club, helping achieve record turnout in Philadelphia. As an intern with VoteThatJawn, she creates youth-focused content promoting participation without advancing religious or partisan positions. She has also studied governance through the University of Pennsylvania’s Organization of American States program, competed in National History Day with a documentary on Furman v. Georgia, and now mentors new participants. Looking ahead, she plans to lead voter registration drives, build accessible election resources, and serve as a student poll worker. A scholarship will help make college more affordable and allow her to continue advancing civic literacy in her school and city.
Saoirse's scholarship is sponsored by The Freethought Society.
Sarah | Eaglecrest High School
Sarah is a first-year student at the University of Colorado Boulder pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, the first step toward her goal of becoming a forensic psychiatrist. She is committed to completing medical school, residency, and forensic training to build a career that combines science with service and justice.
She identifies as agnostic, shaped by growing up with one Catholic parent and one atheist parent who encouraged her to decide her own beliefs. Agnosticism reflects her trust in science while leaving space for questioning, and she expects this perspective to remain central as she pursues a science-based career.
Her gender identity has also influenced her secularism. Observing how religion often reinforces sexism and purity culture, she chose to step away from Catholicism and embrace values that affirm women’s autonomy. This conviction guides her activism, particularly around church–state separation and human rights.
Sarah has protested efforts to promote Christianity in schools, organized events on religious freedom, and volunteered on campaigns for candidates who defend secular governance. She has also been active in broader advocacy for women’s rights, racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, and gun violence prevention, participating in women’s marches and community projects through groups like Science National Honor Society and AVID. As a student leader at the School of Rock, she plans to organize benefit concerts for causes such as mental health and sustainability. For her, the Secular Student Alliance represents a vital space for students to question, challenge stereotypes, and advance fairness and scientific reasoning, and she looks forward to contributing to its mission.
Sarah's scholarship is sponsored by Jefferson Humanists.
Sariyah | North Carolina A&T State University
Sariyah is a student at North Carolina A&T State University, graduating in May 2026, and a leader in a new generation of creative professionals. She is preparing for a career in experiential marketing, a path forged by her entrepreneurial experience as a campus hairstylist and her work in digital brand strategy. Her long-term aspiration is to run her own business, creating opportunities for others while continuing to travel and mentor.
Sariyah identifies as agnostic. From an early age, she questioned Christianity, the most common religion in her community, and resisted pressure to participate in church. She recalls avoiding sleepovers that required attending church services the next day and laughing off teasing from peers who labeled her an atheist. At her HBCU, she has sometimes struggled to find like-minded individuals, but she remains grounded in her authenticity and secular outlook. She defines her beliefs by independence and reason, not by adherence to doctrine.
As a Black woman who does not conform to religious expectations, Sariyah uses her experiences of feeling isolated to strengthen her commitment to authenticity. She rejects pressure to meet cultural expectations, instead focusing on living true to herself and building meaningful communities. This commitment is reflected in her campus leadership. As senior class treasurer in the Student Government Association, she helps coordinate large-scale events that bring together students. As marketing director for Aggies Abroad, she promoted study abroad opportunities that expose students to new cultures and perspectives. Travel has been important in shaping her worldview, showing her that life is broader than any single religious framework.
Sariyah hopes to connect more closely with the Secular Student Alliance to learn how to bring secular activism to her campus without jeopardizing career opportunities. She values SSA’s mission of building community for students who feel isolated in religious environments. A scholarship would relieve financial strain and allow her to finish college with more time for study, leadership, and activism.
Sariyah is the recipient of the FFRF Cliff Richards Memorial scholarship.
Shakkthipratha | Texas A&M University
Shakkthipratha is an undergraduate at Texas A&M University preparing for law school and a career as a civil-rights attorney. She hopes to focus on pro bono work for smaller communities whose needs are often overlooked, using her voice and lived experience to uplift people historically excluded from legal and political power.
She embraces a humanistic ethic shaped by moral lessons from her Hindu upbringing—selflessness, integrity, and doing what’s right—while rejecting religion as a tool of state power. Witnessing reproductive restrictions and LGBTQ+ censorship in Texas has deepened her commitment to policies grounded in shared human values rather than doctrine. As a woman of color and daughter of immigrants, she believes public ethics must be inclusive and secular so no single worldview dominates policy.
On campus, she serves in leadership roles with YDSA, where she helped lead the “Better Beutel” campaign to restore gender-affirming care at the student clinic through petitions, peer education, and media outreach. She has organized speaker events on movement building, volunteered with the Pride Community Center, supported Food Not Bombs, and worked with the Period Project to expand period equity through free product distribution and inclusive messaging.
This year, she will join Texas A&M’s Public Policy Scholars Program in Washington, D.C., taking courses at the Bush School and interning with the Young Women’s Project while contributing to mutual aid, education reform, and youth-centered advocacy. Returning to campus, she plans to grow YDSA membership, expand civic education, and seed a community-focused nonprofit chapter. She values the Secular Student Alliance for defending students against faith-based mandates in public life and supporting a humanistic future where law protects everyone equally. Scholarship support will ease financial burdens, open space for unpaid service, and allow her to focus on academics and advocacy as she builds a career in civil-rights law.
Shakkthipratha's scholarship is sponsored by The Secular Student Alliance.
Shreeti | Vanderbilt University
Shreeti is a student at Vanderbilt University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Medicine, Health, and Society, with an expected graduation in May 2026. Her interdisciplinary studies focus on discrimination in healthcare based on race, sex, identity, and religion. She conducts research on renal cell carcinoma metabolism and CAR-T cell therapy in the Rathmell Lab and plans to become a physician-scientist who treats patients while addressing systemic disparities through research, advocacy, and policy. She also founded a cystic fibrosis management app, strengthening her commitment to using technology to empower underserved patients.
Raised in a Hindu household, Shreeti valued cultural traditions while recognizing how religious dogma often reinforced stigma around gender equality and mental health. At Vanderbilt, her work in medicine and activism solidified her secular identity, grounding her values in reason, evidence, and empathy. She advocates for evidence-based solutions, challenges faith-based restrictions in healthcare, and emphasizes critical thinking and compassion as guiding principles in both her personal and professional life.
Her secularism is also shaped by her identity as a woman of color and first-generation immigrant. Growing up in India, she witnessed caste discrimination, gender inequality, and barriers to healthcare perpetuated by religion. Through her work with Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security, she mentored young women navigating religious nationalism and xenophobia. On campus, she has served as Chair of the Vanderbilt Student Government Health and Wellness Committee, addressing faith-based barriers to mental health access, and has volunteered at the Nashville VA Hospital to support vaccination drives. She is completing an honors thesis on medical neutrality in humanitarian crises, examining how religious and bureaucratic institutions restrict healthcare during conflict.
Her activism also includes founding the GenZer Program, creating workshops on religion’s role in reproductive rights and global conflict, and providing direct patient care as a Certified Nursing Assistant. This year she plans to host “Science, Secularism, and Healthcare Equity,” build a peer-support network for students leaving religious upbringings, and publish articles on secular health equity. For Shreeti, the Secular Student Alliance is vital for fostering communities where morality is rooted in human dignity rather than dogma. A scholarship will help ease financial pressures and allow her to expand mentorship, activism, and programs advancing healthcare equity and secular values.
Shreeti's scholarship is sponsored byThe Freedom From Religion Foundation East Tennessee Chapter.
Shreya | Stockton University
Shreya is a Health Science major at Stockton University with a strong interest in health education and biomedical sciences. Originally from Nepal, she moved to the United States at age 18 to pursue higher education and expand opportunities for herself and others. Motivated by inequities she witnessed in her community, she hopes to advance women’s reproductive health through research, advocacy, and accessible solutions.
She identifies as agnostic, shaped by observing how patriarchal religious practices reinforced gender inequality. Growing up, she saw girls denied opportunities, religious restrictions around menstruation, and missionary groups exploiting vulnerable families. These experiences led her to question religious authority and reject traditions that perpetuate injustice. For Shreya, secularism is a framework for authenticity, empathy, and fairness, guiding both her studies and her activism.
Her identity as a Nepali woman informs her advocacy for women, queer individuals, and others harmed by religious systems. She worked with Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN), supporting victims of abuse tied to superstition, including rescuing a student labeled a “witch” due to a medical condition. She also spoke against Hindu nationalism in Nepal. At Stockton, she has engaged with the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Center and promoted science-based policy and secular governance. Her activism extends to mentoring low-income students, organizing events for Stockton’s International Student Organization, and modeling sustainability in her community.
This year, she is preparing to serve as a wellness peer educator through NASPA’s Certified Peer Education program, designing workshops on women’s health, hygiene, mental health, and reproductive rights. She plans to collaborate with Stockton’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Center and continue building secular approaches to health and equity. As an international student without access to U.S. loans, she balances multiple jobs with full-time study, often at the expense of internships and leadership roles. Receiving this scholarship would ease financial burdens and allow her to focus more fully on education, research, and activism to transform women’s health care.
Shreya's scholarship is sponsored by The New Jersey Humanist Network.
Sophia | University of Central Florida
Sophia is an incoming student at the University of Central Florida, where she plans to major in nursing and graduate in 2029. Her long-term goal is to work in a hospital while pursuing advanced nursing education, building a career defined by compassion, equity, and advocacy. She is motivated by a desire to bring comfort to patients during stressful and vulnerable times and to ensure that healthcare is delivered with dignity.
She identifies as an atheist, shaped by her upbringing in a nonreligious household and personal experiences that challenged her to reflect on faith. When a classmate was diagnosed with brain cancer in third grade, she struggled with the idea that it was a “test from God.” At the same time, her father battled addiction, and she could not reconcile the existence of a higher power with the suffering she saw around her. Witnessing religion used to oppose marriage equality and abortion rights further affirmed her secular worldview and strengthened her belief in reason, fairness, and church–state separation.
Her identity as a woman from a low-income household intersects with her secularism. Living in Florida, she has been directly impacted by political debates around reproductive rights, motivating her to advocate for bodily autonomy and equitable healthcare. She has also been active in advocacy, volunteering with the Lee County Democrats during the last presidential election to support Amendment 4, which sought to protect abortion access in Florida. In high school, she participated in a program that paired students with peers with disabilities, fostering inclusion and support.
At UCF, Sophia plans to join the UCF Democrats and the College of Medicine’s Access, Belonging & Community Engagement program. She is committed to creating welcoming spaces in healthcare and continuing to promote civic participation and secular values. For her, the Secular Student Alliance represents the freedom to practice or reject religion without government interference. Growing up with financial hardship, she now faces the challenge of funding her education largely on her own. A scholarship would ease that burden, allowing her to focus more fully on her studies and prepare for a nursing career grounded in service, compassion, and secular humanism.
Sophia's scholarship is sponsored by The First Coast Freethought Society.
Thaddeus | LA Film School
Thaddeus is a Ghana-born storyteller studying filmmaking at The Los Angeles Film School, where he is focused on crafting narratives that bridge divides and spark dialogue. Before enrolling, he built a videography company and collaborated with organizations such as WFP, WHO, Solidaridad, and Wilmar—work that sharpened both his creative craft and global perspective. His long-term goal is to help build a sustainable film ecosystem in Ghana while telling stories that advance equity and social change.
Rooted in a secular humanist atheist worldview, Thaddeus centers human agency, evidence, and empathy in both his life and his art. This perspective shapes his creative decisions and fuels his commitment to church–state separation, LGBTQIA+ equality, women’s rights, and confronting harmful superstition.
His civic work includes four elected terms with the Humanist Association of Ghana as communications lead and executive service with DWOSO, a feminist NGO empowering women and girls. In these roles, he has used storytelling to challenge stigma and amplify marginalized voices. At school, he plans to produce social-impact films exploring gender equity, queer rights, and anti-witchcraft harms, while refining his screenwriting, directing, and cinematography through mentorship and collaboration.
Raised in a modest household, Thaddeus helped support two younger sisters in nursing and journalism while self-funding his education. These experiences reinforced his belief in practical problem-solving over dogma and the need for inclusive storytelling. Scholarship support reduces financial burdens, enabling him to dedicate more time to hands-on productions and accelerating his path toward a career defined by authentic African storytelling and measurable social change.
Thaddeus' scholarship is sponsored by The Secular Student Alliance.
Tracey | Texas Tech University
Tracey is a psychology student at Texas Tech University, graduating in May 2026. She hopes to research traumatic religious experiences and the identity loss faced by those leaving controlling religious communities, with a long-term vision of developing clinical guidelines to help mental health professionals support survivors of religious trauma. Having spent much of her adult life working with nonprofits, she brings that experience into her academic and professional goals.
She identifies as an atheist, a conviction formed after years of questioning the religious beliefs she was raised with. By age fourteen, she recognized that her sexuality and gender identity conflicted with her family’s faith, and after finding no sufficient answers, she concluded that belief in a god was unlikely. For Tracey, secularism is rooted in truth, reason, and the rejection of doctrines that justify inequality or fear.
Her experiences as a queer woman, mother, and someone who embraces both she and they pronouns shape her outlook. She believes that true love and justice must be unconditional, rejecting frameworks that prioritize control over empathy. These values continue to inform her work as a leader, advocate, and student.
Tracey has been deeply engaged in secular activism. She founded the Atheist Community of Lubbock in 2017, serving as its executive director and organizing education campaigns, tabling events, and outreach for people experiencing homelessness. She has also served American Atheists as Assistant State Director and Texas State Director, contributed to American Atheist Magazine, and was the first atheist to deliver an invocation at a Lubbock City Council meeting. Her activism includes interfaith collaboration, reproductive justice training through the S.A.C.R.eD. program, and civic engagement initiatives. A scholarship would ease the financial strain of balancing school, leadership, and single parenting, allowing her to continue advancing her studies and advocacy.
Wesley | New York University
Wesley is a student at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing with an expected graduation in June 2028. Inspired by a lifelong passion for storytelling, he hopes to build a career as a writer who amplifies marginalized voices, particularly those of LGBTQ+ youth. His goal is to create art that fosters empathy, belonging, and deeper understanding.
He identifies as a secular humanistic Jew, shaped by growing up in an interfaith family with both Jewish and Christian traditions. His perspective shifted in school when Evangelical peers told him and his parents they would go to hell for their interfaith background. Unable to accept that a loving family could be condemned by a benevolent God, he turned toward secularism. At the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit, he found a supportive community that emphasized humanity’s strength and connection rather than reliance on a deity, giving him space to explore his identity and worldview.
As a bisexual young person, Wesley has also seen religion used to harm LGBTQ+ people, including friends who faced rejection from their families. These experiences reinforced his conviction that no faith encouraging parental rejection could be a force for love. His identity as a queer, culturally Jewish student informs both his secularism and his activism.
Wesley’s activism includes restoring an outdoor classroom for his Eagle Scout project, serving on his school’s greenhouse club board, and volunteering through his Humanistic Jewish congregation on refugee support, immigrant rights, reproductive freedom, and Black Lives Matter protests. At NYU, he plans to engage with the LGBTQ+ Center, Keshet for queer Jewish students, the Social Justice Art Project, and the Alliance for Environmental and Social Justice. He sees the Secular Student Alliance as essential for ensuring secular students are represented and supported. A scholarship would ease financial pressures, allowing him to focus more fully on his studies, activism, and writing.
Wesley's scholarship is sponsored by The Society for Humanistic Judaism.
Zana | University of South Florida
Zana is a student at the University of South Florida pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Marketing with a minor in Business Analytics and Information Systems. Expected to graduate in 2029, she hopes to build a career in branding and advertising with leading companies in fashion, beauty, or technology. She is passionate about using creativity and strategy to shape how people connect with brands and aims to use her platform to promote diversity, equity, and ethical business practices.
Her identity as a Black woman from a low-income background has given her a strong sense of perseverance and purpose. Growing up with limited resources, she learned the value of education, community, and service—experiences that continue to inspire her to advocate for others and create opportunities where they are needed most.
Zana’s commitment to giving back is evident in her work. She created and distributed more than fifty feminine hygiene baskets to homeless women, a project centered on dignity and equity. She volunteers with Speak Up For Kids to support foster children, tutors students from under-resourced schools, and uses public speaking to encourage youth empowerment. Through these efforts, she strives to uplift her community and inspire younger generations.
At USF, she plans to join organizations dedicated to social justice, mentorship, and community service, collaborating on campaigns that expand access to health, education, and representation. Public speaking and storytelling will remain central to her leadership as she works to motivate peers to act. Coming from a single-parent household, she has faced challenges such as limited transportation and academic support, especially while completing the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Receiving this scholarship eases financial pressures and allows her to pursue internships, leadership opportunities, and community involvement while dedicating herself fully to her academic and career goals.
Zana's scholarship is sponsored by The Humanists of Sarasota Bay.
The application for the 2026 SSA Student Activist Scholarship opens on April 1, 2026.