Scholarship creator Celia Pesiri/Courtesy photo
Scholarship recipient Jillian Lewis/Courtesy photo
LAPS FOUNDATION NEWS RELEASE
Recent Los Alamos High School graduate Celia Pesiri created a new scholarship with the Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation this year to honor Rawan Alsaraj, a Palestinian physicist in Gaza whose commitment to education and creating opportunities for young women in STEM has continued despite displacement and ongoing conflict.
Inspired by Alsaraj’s resilience and passion for science, Pesiri designed the scholarship to encourage students pursuing STEM fields while celebrating the power of education even in the most difficult circumstances.
The scholarship was stewarded by the Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation and presented on May 18 during the Los Alamos High School Scholarship Awards Ceremony. This year’s recipient was graduating senior Jillian Lewis, who will attend Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., this fall as part of the university’s direct-entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
According to Pesiri, the scholarship grew out of her friendship with Alsaraj through Tomorrow’s Women’s Gaza Girls Alumni Storytelling Project, where the two have remained connected since June 2025 despite language barriers, unreliable communication, and the challenges of war. Pesiri has served as a New Mexico Peace Ambassador with Tomorrow’s Women, where her work advocating for peace led to her friendship with Alsaraj and ultimately inspired the scholarship.
“Our friendship taught me that sometimes simply listening and reminding someone they’re not alone can mean more than anything else,” Pesiri said. “Rawan wanted to know that someone on the other side of the world was rooting for her.”
What began as an idea during Pesiri’s senior year quickly became a community effort. After discussing the idea with her family, who ultimately funded the scholarship, she partnered with the Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation to develop the scholarship criteria, essay prompts, and selection process. Alsaraj also helped shape the scholarship by providing feedback on its goals and application materials.
The Rawan Alsaraj scholarship attracted 27 applicants. Pesiri said she was especially proud that the review committee included several women with STEM backgrounds, reflecting the scholarship’s mission of supporting women in technical fields while promoting compassion and global understanding.
Pesiri said Alsaraj’s dedication to education inspired her to create a scholarship that celebrates education and opportunity.
“Rawan took a completely unfair situation and turned it into goodness,” Pesiri said. “Despite everything she has endured, she continues to prioritize education by helping teach children in her community.”
Despite the closure of many schools due to violence, Alsaraj has helped establish a community program that continues to provide math and science lessons for children in Gaza.
“Watching her resilience and her commitment to science inspired me to create a scholarship that encourages students to pursue STEM while honoring the incredible person she is,” Pesiri said.
Creating the scholarship allowed Pesiri to bring together two of her passions: supporting women in STEM and advancing social justice.
In a letter to the Foundation’s scholarship committee, Lewis expressed gratitude for receiving the award.
“I am truly grateful for your generosity and support,” Lewis wrote. “I am looking forward to beginning this next chapter of my education and working hard to make the most of every opportunity that I have been afforded by scholarships like this one.”
For questions or more information about the scholarships LAPS Foundation stewards and distributes, visit lapsfoundation.org or contact LAPSF’s Executive Director Sylvan Argo at 505.500.6501.