The Scholar Spotlight this week features Master of Arts in Teaching student Hakema Mutanu. Hakema is a recipient of the Margaret M. Alia and Family Continuing Education Endowment Fund. This endowment was created in 2021 by Shepherd alumna Margaret M. Alia ’64 and her siblings, Patrick Alia and Phyllis Alia Greely. Margaret was a special education resource teacher for 34 years.

“The Margaret M. Alia Scholarship has been such a blessing to me, providing the support I needed to complete my final semester at Shepherd University and fulfill my dream of becoming an art teacher,” said Hakema. “Returning to school as an adult has been both rewarding and challenging, especially since resources for non-traditional students can be limited. I am deeply grateful to the founders for extending this scholarship to graduate students, giving us the financial support and encouragement to continue pursuing our academic goals.”