The story of ‘The Star Thrower’ by Loren Eiseley shows how one person’s actions can lead to meaningful change in the world. At Whetstone Perkins & Fulda, we value this message and have created The Starfish Scholarship to honor those who strive to make a difference.
The students featured on this page have been awarded the $1,000 scholarship for their thoughtful and well-written responses. We celebrate their achievements and support their commitment to continued education.
To learn more about this opportunity, visit our scholarship page.
2024 Scholarship Winner: Omar Gamboa
The 2024 Starfish Scholarship winner is Omar Gamboa! Omar is a graduate student and DC fellow at the LBJ School of Public Affairs in Austin, TX. He was born in the South Side of Chicago, went to high school in the Rio Grande Valley, and graduated with a BA in English and Latin American Literature from the University of Texas in Austin in 2015. For the last decade, he served as an AmeriCorps literacy tutor, worked as a bilingual elementary school teacher in Austin ISD, and led his school’s PTA . After teaching and organizing his community, he decided to go back to school to work in government and play his part in making the US and Texas education systems more equitable for children and more sustainable for teachers. As part of his program, he is currently interning at the Texas House of Representatives and will move to Washington DC in June to find a policy-based apprenticeship, hopefully in education policy!
In their own words, “Now that my second semester of graduate school AND the Texas 89th Legislature has kicked off, life is busy and continuously getting busier! The news that I was selected for the Whetstone Perkins & Fulda’s 2024 Starfish Scholarship is amazing and so very welcome! I am incredibly honored and grateful to the selection committee:
– Honored because I know a lot of students participated and, like me, believe in the big-picture effect of the smallest good deeds.
– Grateful because graduate school and being an intern definitely is not cheap!
This award motivates me to continue giving 110% to charge towards my goal of improving the US education system. This award makes a big difference in my life, and I will pay it forward by continuing to make a difference in as many starfish lives as possible!”
2023 Scholarship Winner: Shreya Shivakumar
The 2023 Starfish Scholarship winner is Shreya Shivakumar! Shreya Shivakumar is a student at Barnard College of Columbia University majoring in Political Science with a minor in Science, Policy & Ethics on the pre-law track. Shreya is an Editor-in-Chief at the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review, a Research Assistant and Saltzman Student Scholar at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, and a Barnard Honor Board Chair. She plans to attend law school after graduation and pursue a career as an attorney. Shreya has interned at Proskauer Rose LLP and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. In her free time, Shreya enjoys running and volunteering with her anti-hunger non-profit organization, Nourish America.
In their own words: “It is an honor to be selected as one of the winners of the 2023 Whetstone Perkins & Fulda Starfish Scholarship. As a first-generation Indian-American immigrant and the first aspiring lawyer in my extended family, I am so grateful for the firm’s support of my college education. I am confident that this award will help me achieve my goal of becoming an attorney. I hope to similarly support students in the future through mentorship and scholarship aid to allow them to achieve their educational and career aspirations.”
Shreya Shivakumar Winners’ Statement
2022 Scholarship Winner: Kirk Bennett
The 2022 Starfish Scholarship winner is Kirk Bennett! He was born in Maryland, but grew up in Summerville, South Carolina. Currently, he is a student at Charleston Southern University majoring in aeronautics, with his sights set on a career as a professional pilot. So far, he has earned his private pilot license and is currently working on his instrument rating. He also made the Dean’s list his first semester, and was fortunate to be a member of the marching band, wind ensemble, and jazz band.
In their own words: “I was surprised when I saw the email awarding me the Starfish Scholarship! I had just decided to take my commercial pilot training this summer and wondered how I was going to pay for it. This came at the perfect time to help with the expenses. I would like to thank the committee for selecting my essay and awarding me the scholarship.”
