Chi Changemaker Scholarship
$1,000 Chi Changemaker Scholarship
Application Deadline: May 1, 2026
My father, Guangqing Chi, is the first person from his rural fishing village to come to the U.S. Today, he is an international scholar of demography and sociology, leading innovative research on migration, food security, education, and social mobility. I am inspired by his story of resilience and hope.
From living in a low-income area of Mississippi as a child, visiting rural schools in Pennsylvania as a former public official, and interviewing labor migrants in Kyrgyzstan through my research experience, I see the power of education in uplifting individuals, families, communities, and our world.
To help more students attend college, I founded and am sponsoring the Chi Changemaker Scholarship. It is an annual, merit-based $1,000 award supporting a young changemaker to pursue higher education. The recipient will also receive a 1-on-1, year-long leadership development program valued at $3,000 to grow their social impact under my mentorship.
Applicants must be current high school students or 2026 graduates between the ages of 14-18, have a GPA of 3.5 or above, and demonstrate community service and leadership. This scholarship is supported by Bold.org, which facilitates the application and selection process.
Chi Changemaker Winners:
2025
Aryan Das (UC Berkeley '29) founded a global health nonprofit, Learn It, that has 1,000+ members. He also organized a global hackathon with 470 participants.
Finalists: Bella Brown, Bella Kim, Gary Leschinsky, Rayhan Roy, and Purvi Shenoy
2026
Jack Gonzalez (Duke '30) founded Stop the Caps, a sustainability advocacy organization. He became a youth spokesperson for Senate Bill 45 and champions tethered cap legislation in California.
Finalists: Aditi Chhawacharia, Ananya Devkirti, Charlotte Gould, Lio Gular, Lindsey Kwon, Nghia Luu, Tvisha Mishra, Rishith Ravi, and Pooja Verma
