Scholars for Syria

06/08/2026

Seton Hall University

Congratulations to Odeh Raed Odeh who graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law with a Juris Doctor (Doctor of Law) degree. Odeh is originally from Bethlehem, Palestine. Odeh has regularly volunteered at PACC and in the community throughout the years! We are proud of you and wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors! Alf Mabrook to you and your family!

06/04/2026

If you have any doubts about the power and impact of educating displaced university students, we’re here to convince you otherwise. One of our edSeed scholars, Bayan, reflects on her educational journey, saying, “I will break the digital divide, especially for women and girls.”

In addition to her studies, Bayan contributes so much of her time to help run our operations, including helping to produce this year’s edSeed graduation online celebration to our global audience. Here’s her recent blog: https://www.edseed.me/2026/05/31/celebrating-success-and-sharing-hope-109/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celebrating-success-and-sharing-hope-109

…and our full Spring 2026 graduation webinar here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNm1-Ap2bSo

At edSeed and VIP.fund—we offer community, collaboration, opportunity, and hope. Support us here: https://www.vip.fund/donate/ Thank you!

06/02/2026

Join us for our upcoming event, "Resisting Repression: Educators and Students on the Front Lines of Dissent," featuring guest speakers Michel DeGraff, Mary Joyce Laqui, and Peggy Wang.

Using the "Faculty on the Front Lines: AAUP Members Share Stories of Repression and Resistance" video series as a point of departure, this panel event explores the escalating illiberal campaign to purge higher education and K-12 of faculty, staff, and students who teach, speak out on, or organize around social justice issues.

Link to Register: go.rutgers.edu/academicfreedom

06/01/2026

A huge congratulations to SYE alumni Subhi, Ali, and Nour from Aleppo on their recent graduation from MIT!

Subhi, who graduated with majors in Physics & Computer Science and Engineering says, "MIT gave me the opportunity to experience so much more than academics. It taught me how to create my own opportunities, adapt to challenges, and appreciate how complex and unique every person's story is." For him, "SYE means knowing that wherever your dreams take you, whether it's MIT, Harvard, Stanford, or anywhere else, there is a fellow Syrian sibling who is walking a similar path, cheering for you, and reminds you that those dreams are possible. My advice to future SYE students is to keep moving forward, even when the path seems unfair or uncertain, persistence and resilience will take you farther than you think."

Ali, who graduated with majors in Math & Computer Science and Engineering shares, "If you had told me four years ago that I would be graduating from MIT alongside my best friends from high school, I would never have believed you. Yet here we are. SYE made that journey possible through the unwavering support of its mentors, staff, and community. My advice to future SYE students is simple: dream big, work hard, and never stop believing that opportunities far beyond what you can imagine are within reach."

Nour, who graduated with a major in Computer Science and Engineering is thankful for both his SYE family and his academic journey and growth at MIT. "Applying to colleges from Syria felt daunting, but SYE turned a stressful process into a lifelong family, a home away from home where we navigate university together and even spend our holidays. My time at MIT allowed me to dive into complex systems and solve challenging engineering problems, an intellectual journey made possible by the great support of this community. Graduating is a milestone I share with the entire SYE network that carried me from day one."

We're so proud of Subhi, Ali, and Nour, grateful to have them as mentors and leaders in the SYE community, and wish them all the best. Alf, alf Mabrook!

06/01/2026

Sendus’s story reminds us that rebuilding our communities requires more than physical reconstruction; it requires healing, understanding, and the courage to listen to one another.
🎓 Congratulations, Sendus! Your voice, scholarship, and commitment to service are already creating lasting impact.
Check out edSeed.me to meet more talented students like Sendus.

06/01/2026

The Syrian American Council mourns with the al-Abbasi family.

Today, Syria’s National Commission for Missing Persons confirmed the deaths of the six children of Dr. Rania al-Abbasi, a dentist and Syrian-Arab chess champion—13 years after they were forcibly disappeared alongside their parents by Assad’s intelligence forces in March 2013.

Dima, Entisar, Najah, Alaa, Ahmed, and Layan were between the ages of 2 and 14 when they were taken. Their parents, Dr. Rania al-Abbasi and Abdulrahman Yasin, were known for serving and supporting displaced families from Homs who had sought refuge near their clinic.

For more than a decade, their family and countless Syrians lived with unanswered questions.

This is why cannot be delayed. Every family deserves the truth. Every victim deserves justice. And every perpetrator must be held accountable.