Jeff Franken and Luke Winston received scholarships through the Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund. Today, they’re giving back to communities where they live — locally and internationally.
Franken, a native of Las Vegas, New Mexico, is a past recipient of a platinum scholarship and a University of California Non-resident Fee Scholarship. He’s now the scholarship program officer for the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation, which oversees the Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund.
“I came home to work for the LANL Foundation because I know how much the [Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund] helped me, changed me ... I know that the work I’m doing right now is the best way I can serve [the community],” said Franken, who graduated last December from University of California, San Diego with degrees in world literature and neuroscience. In addition to working for the LANL Foundation, Franken also recently co-founded Ipanema Literatures, which is publishing a book about Indian gaming.
Susan Herrera, LANL Foundation executive director said, “Jeff’s addition to our staff is a milestone for the foundation, and we hope to continue to bring our scholars back to Northern New Mexico to enrich and enhance our regional work force.”
Franken hopes to create initiatives that will inspire students to work for academic success before they apply for a scholarship. He also wants to create a culture of learning in Northern New Mexico.
Winston also hails from Las Vegas and was the first top scholarship winner. He is reaching out on an international level. Winston founded VEGlobal (Voluntarios de la Esperanza), which is Spanish for Volunteers for Hope. The non-profit organization provides volunteers to work against poverty and child abuse.
After graduating from Harvard 2003, Winston started VEGlobal, which provides volunteers to work in children’s homes, community centers, and schools in the poorest neighborhoods of Santiago, Chile.
"I like to think that I am independent and that I have gotten where I am by my own hard work. Yet I recognize that I have been blessed by so many people,” said Winston. “In 1999, the LANL Foundation gave me a huge boost not only through its financial support, but by helping me believe in myself. I now strive to do the same for others,” he said.
“I work to better the lives of children through VEGlobal, because I feel they have so much potential, and many of them need someone to tell them that they are special so that they can make the most of life."
