Investing in the Future
Since the program began in 2004, the MSCI Scholarship program has grown 17-fold, expanding to include 32 chapters and provide nearly $700,000 in scholarships to the children of MSCI member employees. Paras Shah received a scholarship from the MSCI California chapter, and is the second in our series of scholarship stories. (Read Hope Xu's story here.)
Paras graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with honors in history and political science. Over four years he actively participated in student government, worked as a resident assistant, and co-directed the Cal in the Capital program. He has written for Berkeley’s newspaper, and was co-founder and president of a campus group, Embrade, which fundraised to provide incubators to premature infants in the developing world. He is a four-time recipient of the California Alumni Association’s Leadership Award. Paras is legally blind, and his life experiences have provided an appreciation for our nation’s legacy of civil rights legislation.
In his words:
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PARAS SHAH
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“Over the years, MSCI scholarships have meant a great deal to my family and myself. Not only has the financial assistance been invaluable, but the scholarship affirmed my desire for education and to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. It was, and continues to be, incredibly uplifting to know that so many people are willing to invest in me and support my goals.
“Through MSCI’s generous support, I was able to focus on my studies at UC Berkeley without the burden of crushing student debt—this helped me build meaningful relationships with colleagues and professors. In addition, I developed professional skills by interning at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
“This fall, I will join the Disability Rights team at Human Rights Watch through a John Gardner Public Service Fellowship. I look forward to the opportunity to learn about international disability rights policy, and to make an impactful contribution to the field.”
To learn more about the scholarship program available from your chapter, visit the website.