About the SABAC Endowed Fund
SABAC officially launched the SABAC Endowed Fund in 2014. The Fund was established in order to award scholarships to Connecticut area law students who have demonstrated a commitment to SABAC’s mission, and to the South Asian community and culture, through their personal and professional accomplishments. SABAC established the Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, (HFPG) a well-respected community charitable foundation that has been in existence since 1925. Cecil J. Thomas, past president of SABAC, led the efforts to launch, develop, and fundraise for the Fund, and serves as Chair of the Scholarship Selection Committee.
In 2015, SABAC reached its initial fundraising goal, allowing us to make our first scholarship award in the summer of 2016. SABAC was able to reach this goal through the generous support of many, and in particular because of a $10,000 challenge pledge from the Day Pitney Foundation.
SABAC Endowed Fund Scholars
Since the Fund’s launch, SABAC has been proud to present scholarships to the following SABAC Endowed Fund Scholars:
- 2016: Ahmed Galal, University of Connecticut School of Law
- 2017: Amina Seyal, Quinnipiac University School of Law
- 2018: Shehrezad Haroon, University of Connecticut School of Law
- 2019: Kajal Patel, Quinnipiac University School of Law
- 2020: Tanushree Bansal, Yale Law School
- 2021: Shariful Khan, Yale Law School
- 2023: Maryam Ahmed, University of Connecticut School of Law
Interested in Supporting the Fund?
You may make a tax deductible contribution online by clicking here or by mailing a check, payable to “SABAC Endowed Fund” to Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, 10 Columbus Circle, 8th Floor, Hartford, CT 06106. Each year, SABAC designates a portion of the net proceeds of its Annual Awards Dinner to the Fund. SABAC is grateful to the following individuals and organizations that have contributed generously to the Fund in 2019.
In 2023, we reached a new milestone and awarded the largest scholarship ever in SABAC’s history. Ms. Maryam Ahmed received more than $6,000 from the Endowed Fund, in addition to an unrestricted cash grant of $1,500 from SABAC’s Board of Directors.
SABAC Scholarship Committee
Cecil J. Thomas, Chair
Muneer Ahmad
Karen DeMeola
Anika Singh Lemar
Asker Saeed
Sudha N. Setty
Namita T. Shah
Neeta Vatti
Rashmi Chandra
Nandita Ruchandani