Congratulations to the 2026-27 GEJ Scholarship Award Recipients!
We are excited to announce the recipients of the 2026-27 GEJ Scholarship Awards! These Camp Rising Sun (CRS) and The Ethical Leadership Experience (TELE) alums and former staff members embody the values of leadership, excellence, and commitment to social justice across a variety of fields and disciplines. We congratulate them on all of their achievements and wish them well in their future endeavors!
Please read on below to meet each of this year’s GEJ Scholars:
LINDA ARNOLDUS (CRS ‘18)
“I am so grateful for this GEJ scholarship, which will help fund my M.S. in Aviation and Aerospace Sustainability. CRS taught me what it means to be a leader, and this scholarship will help me pursue my master's degree so that I can become a leader in the aerospace industry. The global community that CRS gave me has played a huge role in my passion for building a sustainable future for all and has greatly influenced my mission to make the aerospace industry more sustainable. I hope that as I continue to advance in my career, I can give back to this community of amazing leaders, which I have leaned on so many times in the past.”
Linda is beginning a Master’s in Science in Aviation and Aerospace Sustainability at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide Campus. Linda’s interest in sustainable engineering began with her course in Alternative Energy in Scandinavia while studying abroad, during which she toured wind farms, geothermal power plants, hydroelectric dams, and other sustainable energy facilities in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Linda is passionate about building a sustainable future and pioneering the future of sustainable aviation. She plans on working in aerospace sustainability as a researcher, policymaker, managerial figure, or engineer. Linda also serves as the Vice President of Women of Aerospace, helping women and other minorities to achieve degrees in the aerospace field.
JANYL DJUSUPOVA (CRS ‘23)
“Receiving the GEJ Scholarship feels like a full-circle moment for me. CRS encouraged me to challenge myself and see new possibilities in who I could become. I am truly grateful for the support of the LAJF community as I pursue my studies in the U.S. and work toward making a greater impact in the communities I serve and beyond.”
Janyl is a freshman at Augustana College where she plans on majoring in Economics and either double majoring or pursuing a minor in Data Analytics. During this past year, Janyl has engaged in some significant pursuits including conducting simultaneous English-Russian translations for a consulting firm working on a data center development project in Kyrgyzstan; acting as an Advocacy and Outreach Assistant for the United Nations Volunteers Program in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on their campaign against Gender Based Violence; and working as a Management Intern at RoundPier, supporting operations for a global online educational platform connecting students, schools, and organizations. Among her many extracurricular activities, Janyl is the founder of Gul Academy of Learning (GAL), a free online English academy offering beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes to more than 590 students across Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Peru, and other countries. She is also the President of Girl Up, which promotes gender equality in both Cairo, Egypt, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Janyl stays connected with CRS by serving on the Central Asia Selection Committee and participating in LAJF Global Alumni Assembly panels, including "Reimagining Education," where she shared her experience founding Gul Academy of Learning. Janyl’s plans for her future include building a career that expands educational opportunities and financial access for underserved communities. Janyl attended CRS in 2023.
DILSHOD HAMROBOEV (CRS Staff ‘23-‘25)
"Having the support of the LAJF community as I continue my studies in educational leadership is exceptionally meaningful, especially knowing how much my experience empowering young leaders shaped the path I'm on today."
Dilshod is in his first year toward earning a Master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he will use his background in Media Arts as a strategic asset for public advocacy and community mobilization in international education programs. Among his many accomplishments, Dilshod is the Founder and Program Manager for the AUCA Marathon Admissions Program, which has mentored more than 350 students from under-resourced schools across Central Asia, providing academic preparation, English instruction, and guidance on international university admissions. Dilshod is also the Founder and Program Manager of Model C5+1 Simulation, through which he designed and led regional policy simulations connecting high school and university students across five Central Asian countries to practice diplomacy, negotiation, and collaborative problem-solving. In the future, hopes to serve in leadership roles within international education-focused organizations while also building his own social venture focused on access to learning and opportunity. Since 2023, Dilshod has worked for CRS and LAJF in various capacities including Camp Counselor, videographer, and social media content creator.
WOOHYUN KWEN (CRS ‘19)
Irwin Nydick Memorial Medical Scholarship Recipient
"This scholarship is a reminder of my lessons from CRS that true leadership is rooted in humility, empathy, and service. As a future physician, I am determined to bring these values into my practice to ensure every patient receives compassionate, equitable care."
Woohyun, a second-year medical student at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, is the recipient of the Irwin Nydick Memorial Medical Scholarship, established to assist humanitarian-oriented future physicians who exemplify Dr. Nydick’s commitment to improving medical care, especially within the underserved community. Woohyun demonstrates that commitment by participating in clinics that serve vulnerable populations such as refugees and incarcerated individuals, and by advocating for underserved populations to ensure that every voice, patient, peer, or supervisor, is heard with respect. Woohyun’s future goals are to remain in academic medicine, maintaining a balance between patient care, scientific research, and education. Clinically, Woohyun plans to practice palliative care to ensure that her patients’ final moments are marked by dignity, comfort, and peace.
OLENA LEBEDIEVA (TELE ‘23, CRS ‘24)
“LAJF once set me on a global path, lighting in me a fire of curiosity, courage, and cross-cultural empathy. Becoming a GEJ Scholar means I get to keep walking that path, bringing my inner light, and building spaces where others can shine. For that, I am profoundly grateful!”
Olena is a freshman at Minerva University, where she plans to study Social Sciences and specialize in Economics. In addition to achieving many academic honors in her high school, Olena has remained an active member of the CRS and TELE alumni communities. She is a member of the CRS Program Committee, the At-Large Selection Committee Member, a TELE Visiting Team Member, a member of LAJF’s Governance Committee, and a Core Team Member of the Ukrainian Alumni Association. Among her many extracurricular pursuits, Olena founded the volunteer eco-project, “Unity With Nature,” which cleaned the riverbanks of the Inhulets River in Ukraine. Olena also excels at athletics, teaching tennis and refereeing soccer games, officiating over 350 matches across five different countries (Ukraine, Canada, Spain, USA, France) and becoming the youngest and the only woman in her Regional Football Association in Ukraine. Olena attended TELE in 2023 and CRS in 2024.
CARLA MARTINEZ BECERRA
(crs ‘22, TELE Instructor ‘26)
John Litsios Scholar
"I want my education to do more than take me somewhere, I want it to become something useful. And the greatest thing an opportunity can do is multiply. I’m grateful for another chance to turn what I’ve been given into something meaningful for others."
Carla is a junior at the University of Maine (via consortia from College of the Atlantic), where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology, with a self-designed concentration in Civil Engineering and Anthropology. Through her studies, Carla is building the technical foundation to work in civil and environmental engineering, while also studying how infrastructure, water systems, and design decisions affect real communities. Her goal is to use engineering not only as a technical field, but as a way to create more equitable and humane systems. Carla was named the John Litsios Scholar for her demonstrated commitment to technical and scientific pursuits. Carla is also the Founder and Executive Director of MenstruAcción, a 30-member NGO that delivers free, sustainable menstrual products to marginalized girls across her native Peru. Carla attended Camp Rising Sun in 2022 and was a TELE instructor in 2026.
KAITLYN (Kai) VELAZQUEZ (CRS ‘17)
pete seeger scholar
"Being a Pete Seegar Scholar connects me to a history of dedicated, creative individuals like Pete who care deeply about their community and are committed to pushing back against fundamental injustices. I am overcome with gratitude for the Committee's confidence in my skills and potential to be an incredible legal advocate. I'm excited to embark on my law school journey, knowing that I continue to embody the lessons I learned during my summer at CRS."
Kai is a first-year law student at Rutgers Law School, where she will build on her work providing trauma-informed support to asylum seekers, working with young people at teen centers, and working as a bilingual paralegal at Children's Rights, a legal non-profit focused on uplifting the rights of youth in detention and foster care through federal class action lawsuits. Kai looks forward to practicing immigration law to follow up on her experiences working at the U.S.-Mexican border for the Children’ Rights organization. Kai is also passionate about photography, using a method that relies on sunlight to develop images. Kai looks forward to weaving her artistic background into her legal practice, organizing monthly community art workshops and classes, while also providing ongoing legal representation and training. For these reasons, Kai was named as a Pete Seeger Scholar, which is awarded each year to an alum who exemplifies Pete Seeger's courage, integrity and humanity, and whose life path will lead to helping others.
As part of our commitment to supporting young leaders, each year LAJF awards scholarships to CRS alumni obtaining their undergraduate or graduate degrees at institutions in the United States. The GEJ Scholarships, dedicated to the memory of George E. ("Freddie") Jonas, founder and benefactor of Camp Rising Sun, are made possible thanks to the generosity of Seth Frank (CRS ‘48, ‘49), the creator of the GEJ Scholarship Fund. We invite you to join Seth, the Georges Lurcy Trust, and many other donors in their ongoing support of our future GEJ scholars with your generous donation to the GEJ Scholarship Fund!