National Immigrant Heritage Center Scholarship Program in Support of Immigrant Students, Children

The National Immigrant Heritage Center, which hosts the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF) induction ceremony annually, has announced the establishment of an Immigrant Heritage Scholarship Program, investing in the next generation of immigrant leaders, beginning this year. The new scholarship program will officially launch as part of this year’s induction and gala on Thursday, October 8.

The Immigrant Heritage Scholarship Program is established to support students of immigrant background who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership potential, and a commitment to advancing their communities.

This program initiative reflects NIHC’s mission to celebrate, preserve, and promote immigrant heritage while investing in future leaders who embody the values of resilience, cultural pride, and civic engagement.

The scholarship aims to:

• Provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education,
• Recognize outstanding individuals of immigrant heritage,
• Encourage leadership, community service, and cultural engagement, and
• Promote educational access and equity.

“The Scholarship Program is designed to celebrate heritage and empower futures,” said Asha Lassen, president of the National Immigrant Heritage Center.“As we continue to honor the life’s work of inductees to the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame each year, we will also invest in students and their dreams, supporting the next generation of immigrant families and advancing the potential of their contributions to our state and nation.”

Individuals and organizations interested in learning more about the new Scholarship Program, and the National Immigrant Heritage Center, can go to www.immigrantheritage.org/scholarship-program. Donations in support of the scholarship program are now being accepted.

“It is a privilege to honor these inspiring immigrant families by supporting bright, hardworking students.The determination, resilience and courage of these families built our communities.Together, we honor their journey by investing in the future of these young people,” Lassen added.

We are proud to recognize Arianna Baret-Peralta, James Michel, Demetrios Giannaros, Anna Sielawko, Tim Norman, Esaul Rodriguez, Lisette Andino, and Ana Alfaro as the Founding Donors of the National Immigrant Heritage Center Scholarship Program. Donations are now being accepted via www.immigrantheritage.org/scholarship-program.

Student applications can be submitted online through December 31.Applications will be reviewed by the NIHC Scholarship Selection Committee, using a standardized scoring rubric to ensure fairness and consistency.A personal essay and letter of recommendation are required.Full eligibility and selection criteria are outlined on the National Immigrant Heritage Center website.

This year’s IHHF Induction Ceremony & Gala, by the National Immigrant Heritage Center, will take place on Thursday, October 8.The 2026 inductees are Nermin “Miki” Duric, Tai Soo Kim, Seila Mosquera-Bruno and Ruth Weiner.

The IHHF Induction Gala ceremony will again take place this year at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT at 5:00 p.m.In addition to a formal dinner, the program will include a Keynote Speaker, brief video presentations about each of the inductees, and an array of cultural presentations reflecting each inductee’s background and providing evocative entertainment throughout the evening.

The number of individuals and families honored by the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame since its

inception will total 49 with the four 2026 inductees. Detailed inductee profiles – for this year’s honorees and previous inductees – can be seen on the IHHF website, www.immigrantheritage.org.

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame was initially a project of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization, which launched and operated the Hall of Fame from its inception in 2013. It was succeeded by the establishment during 2021 of the National Immigrant Heritage Center (NIHC), an independent 501(c)3 organization established as a multi-ethnic Center, inclusive in its mission, structure and governance.

Tickets for the 2026 Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame gala are now available; a wide variety of sponsorships are also available to support the event and the National Immigrant Heritage Center. Further announcements regarding the evening’s program – including keynote speaker - will be made in the coming weeks.For up-to-date event, ticket, sponsorship, and inductee information, visit www.immigrantheritage.org.