Scholarship recipients building a better world 

Scholarship recipients building a better world 

The Kiwanis Children’s Fund honors 8 Key Club and CKI scholars.

By Erin Chandler

The eight outstanding students who received this year’s Kiwanis Children’s Fund scholarships show a special dedication to leadership and mentorship — and to ensuring everyone has equal access to the resources they need. Each recipient says that the values and skills they have learned in Key Club and Circle K International (CKI) will form the basis for the difference they’ll make. In fact, each of these brilliant scholars is already paving the way for those who will come after them. And some of them are already planning to join Kiwanis! 

The Children’s Fund is honored to help them continue their education in the upcoming academic year. 

Paige Hein
Linda Canaday Memorial Scholarship
Paige Hein recently graduated from Washington Township High School in Indiana, U.S. She was elected vice president of her Key Club in her freshman year, and she went on to serve as club treasurer, Key Leader student facilitator and lieutenant governor before becoming governor of the Indiana District. Hein’s governorship focused on raising funds and awareness for environmental sustainability. In addition, she is the cofounder and director of sustainability for the nonprofit 4SEE (Sustainability, Equity and Education). As an intern for Earth Charter Indiana, she engaged with young people and legislators in her state to advocate for the environment. Among the many roles Hein has served in, she was the lead facilitator of youth recommendations for the United Nations on the Sustainable Development Goal for climate, and copresenter of the youth track at Earth Charter Indiana’s Climate Leadership Summit. She plans to study environmental sociology at the University of San Francisco before pursuing a career in the United Nations Environment Programme. Hein pledges to use the leadership skills she gained through Key Club “to fight for a more equitable world.” 

Erina Haque
Wagner Family Scholarship
Erina Haque is a recent graduate of Lake Braddock Secondary School in Virginia, U.S. Haque served Key Club at the district and international levels, in positions that include Capital District governor. Her focus as governor was on expanding equity — she opened conversations about discrimination and hate speech; created district member representative positions to advocate for marginalized populations; and founded the District Language Services Committee to translate important Key Club documents into more languages. Outside of Key Club, Haque served as international director of public relations for Mind4Youth, one of the largest youth-led mental health nonprofit organizations in the world; captain of her school’s debate team; editor-in-chief of The Bear Facts newspaper; and president of the Social Studies Honor Society. With the Harvard Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders, she led a team lobbying for legislation to ban the sale of over-the-counter weight loss drugs to minors. During an internship with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, she designed and presented a new model for increased funding access for small business owners in developing nations. After studying international relations, government and political science at Vanderbilt University, Haque plans to run for political office, where she will “lead with care, challenging uninclusive social structures and building a better world for all.”  

Sameen Enam
Kiwanis Children’s Fund Scholarship
Sameen Enam was a member of Baton Rouge Magnet High School Key Club in Louisiana, U.S., for four years before graduating this year. She began as bulletin editor for her club and the Louisiana-Mississippi-West Tennessee District before being elected district governor. As governor, Enam launched and led the “Pour It Forward” campaign to fund a freshwater well through Thirst Project. She was also vice president and cofounder of her school’s Animal Rights Preservation Club, assistant choreographer and historian for the Indian Student Association and technology coordinator for the Junior Classical League. In pursuit of her goal to become a biomedical engineer, Enam has shadowed physicians across hospital departments and is working with researchers at Louisiana State University’s College of Engineering to develop bioimaging techniques for detecting pancreatic cancer. “In biomedical engineering, I plan to apply my leadership skills to drive innovation and advocate for equitable healthcare solutions,” she says. Enam plans to attend Georgia Institute of Technology next year. 

Mohammed Ali Al-Sabeh
Kiwanis Children’s Fund Scholarship
Mohammed Ali Al-Sabeh recently graduated from Crestwood High School in Michigan, U.S. He served the Crestwood High School Key Club as underclassmen director and president before going on to positions at the district and international levels, including as an international trustee. In his first year of Key Club, Al-Sabeh launched the “Mittens for Michigan” project, which has provided over 600 giant mittens filled with comfort items for pediatric cancer patients. He also helped his school’s Key Club grow from 30 members to more than 100. In addition to shadowing medical professionals as an intern, Al-Sabeh is a math instructor at the Mathnasium Learning Center, where he has organized a monthly raffle and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Day to motivate his students. His mentorship has extended to roles in Aspire United Education’s STEM Mentorship Program and Crestwood Science Club, and to volunteer student teaching in the Dearborn High School special education classroom. As electrical lead of his school’s robotics team, he raised thousands of U.S. dollars to provide robotics mentoring to elementary and middle school students. Al-Sabeh plans to study biochemistry at the University of Southern California before becoming a UNICEF ambassador and neurosurgeon working with the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research, where he will work to break down systemic barriers to healthcare.  

Shailee Shah
CKI Past Presidents Scholarship
Shailee Shah’s commitment to combating food insecurity began in middle school, when she built three Little Free Pantries to provide 24/7 access to essential, shelf-stable food items for all who needed them. Shah is the founder and director of The Spark Momentum, a 501(c)(3) organization that spreads awareness about food insecurity and teaches others how to build Little Free Pantries in their communities. She credits Circle K International at the New Jersey Institute of Technology with providing the platform and support to expand this passion project. She has served as treasurer and president of the club, which has built and operates two more pantries in underserved communities. The first received a Tomorrow Fund grant from the Children’s Fund. Shah is a freelance artist who has served as copresident of the Pre-Health Society, a neuroscience research assistant at New Jersey Medical School and a hospitalist medical scribe. She currently works as an intern with the Biobanking Compliance Program at the New Jersey Department of Health and volunteers as an Emergency Medical Technician. “Every call reinforces my passion for medicine, not just in treating individual patients, but in addressing the broader inequities that affect access and outcomes,” Shah says. “My CKI experiences have taught me that meaningful change happens when leadership is driven by empathy and action.” Shah’s goals include reducing mental health stigma as a neuropsychiatrist and establishing Little Free Pantries in every county in New Jersey, U.S. 

Hasan Ghafoor
John E. Mayfield CKI Scholarship
“In my family,” Hasan Ghafoor says, “our faith informed us that you cannot eat while your neighbor goes hungry.” He could see that his community in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, struggled to address homelessness and healthcare. “I knew that I wanted to play a role in addressing these needs, but I was uncertain how until I came across CKI during university.” Ghafoor served the University of Windsor’s Circle K International club as president and the Eastern Canada District as events chair and governor. In these roles, he focused on initiatives to provide food, healthcare access and more than 500 hygiene kits to local populations experiencing homelessness. The University of Windsor CKI’s Hygiene for Hope program received a Tomorrow Fund grant from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. Outside of CKI, Ghafoor spreads awareness of homelessness in his community as host and producer of the campus radio show “Word on the Street.” He was also copresident of the MusicBox Children’s Charity, which organizes music education for underprivileged children, a peer mentor for the University of Windsor’s Outstanding Scholars Program and a volunteer teacher of elementary school students in its Let’s Talk Science program. While pursuing a career as a physician, Ghafoor interns at a respirology clinic and a retina clinic, and he volunteers as a pediatrics assistant and as a rehabilitation aid. He also works part-time as a coach for weekly sports programs. 

Riya Goyal
Kiwanis Children’s Fund Scholarship
Riya Goyal is a computer science and mathematics major at Stockton University in New Jersey, U.S. She has been a member of Circle K International for four years and currently serves on the CKI board’s Brick x Brick Committee. She says working with Brick x Brick has been an eye-opening experience because “we weren’t just tackling problems; we were bridging cultures, creating connections and turning ideas into tangible change.” Goyal began her university career with “a deep desire to help international students navigate the challenges of college life.” She created a community by mentoring high school and college students in the Success Scholars Program; as a team lead in the Governor STEM Scholars program; as a volunteer math tutor for Encorps and SchoolHouse; and as a math and computer science tutor, admissions ambassador and resident assistant for Stockton University. She is founding president of the Stockton International Student Organization, president of the Stockton Honors College and Alpha Lambda Delta National Honors Society, and member of the Student Senate Academic Affairs Committee and School of Business Student Advisory Board, among many other organizations. In an internship for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Goyal has already conducted research on leveraging artificial intelligence tools for philanthropy. 

Samuel Zheng
Kiwanis Children’s Fund Scholarship
Also a student at Stockton University, Samuel Zheng majors in biology. He has served CKI at the club, division, district and international levels over three years, including as lieutenant governor of the Garden Division, district editor, Brick x Brick Committee member and international member experience chair. He says that his experience in CKI has inspired him to take on other leadership roles, including as co-vice president of the Stockton University Chemistry Society and historian for Delta Epislon Mu, a professional fraternity for students in healthcare fields. CKI also has helped him uncover a passion for teaching and mentorship, leading to roles as a teaching assistant for a physics class, a math and science tutor at Stockton University’s tutoring center, and an engagement leadership team member in the university’s Center of Community Engagement and Service Learning. In the latter role, Zheng helps underserved students ages 5-12 with their homework, forming strong bonds with some of the children. “Being in Circle K International has pushed me to serve directly in my communities,” he says, “and face issues head-on that many people might not be aware of.” 

Visit the Kiwanis Children’s Fund Scholarship Opportunities page for information about scholarships distributed by the Children’s Fund, including who to contact with questions and award notification dates.  

Michael Mulhaul elected 2025-26 Kiwanis International president

Michael Mulhaul elected 2025-26 Kiwanis International president

Results also include Hope Markes as president-elect and Cathy Szymanski as vice president.

By Tony Knoderer

Michael Mulhaul of Interlaken, New Jersey, U.S., was elected president and Hope Markes of Hanover, Jamaica, was elected president-elect during the House of Delegates at the 2025 Kiwanis International Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. Cathy Szymanski of Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S., was elected vice president.  

Timothy Sheppard of Cheyenne, Wyoming. U.S., and Amy Zimmerman of Beavercreek, Ohio, U.S., were elected trustees for the United States and Pacific Canada Region. Also joining the board in October for three-year terms will be Shinichi Yoshikuni of Tokyo, Japan, who was elected as a trustee for the Asia Pacific Region during the Kiwanis International Asia-Pacific Convention in March; and Jon-Fadri Huder of Samedan, Switzerland, who was elected as a trustee for the Europe Region during the 2025 Kiwanis International Europe Convention in May.  

All of the Kiwanians above begin their terms on October 1, 2025.  

Votes on amendments
The House of Delegates also voted on proposed amendments to the Kiwanis International Bylaws. The following amendments were approved:  

  • Proposed Amendment 1: Language Cleanup and District Submission of Resolutions. Submitted by the Kiwanis International Board, this amendment will clarify the current language of the Kiwanis International Bylaws requiring districts to be in good standing to submit resolutions. With the rewording, districts and clubs also can better understand the deadline for submission of resolutions. 
  • Proposed Amendment 2: Regional Boards to Propose Resolutions and Amendments. Submitted by the Kiwanis International Board, this amendment will allow the boards of Kiwanis regions to propose resolutions and amendments, beginning October 1, 2025. 

Proposed Amendment 3 — Remote Voting for Kiwanis International Business — was not approved. Submitted by the Capital District Board, this amendment was submitted to provide for candidate nominations and initial review of proposed amendments and resolutions at the Kiwanis International convention, with final voting via secure remote voting. 

Details on elected leaders
Michael Mulhaul has been a Kiwanis member for 33 years. A member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S., he has served as its president and treasurer. He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Asbury Park, which he helped charter. He has been both governor and lieutenant governor of the New Jersey District and is currently president of the New Jersey District Foundation and a Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee. Mulhaul and his wife and fellow Kiwanian, Laura, have three adult children, a son-in-law and a grandchild.

Hope Markes, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Hopewell in Hanover, Jamaica, was governor of the Eastern Canada and Carribean District in 2013-14 and previously served as lieutenant governor. She was also a member of the district’s Strategic Planning Committee and was regional vice chair for The Formula, a membership growth initiative of Kiwanis International. She also has served on the Membership and Education committees. At the club level, she twice served as president. She served as secretary and chair of the Fundraising, Membership and Interclub committees. Markes will serve as Kiwanis International president in 2026-27.

Cathy Szymanski has been a Kiwanis member since 1994. Her home club is the Kiwanis Club of Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S., where she has served as distinguished president and secretary. She was elected a Kiwanis International trustee in 2019. During her tenure, she served as the board’s membership chair and as a counselor for Circle K International, the Kiwanis program for college and university students. Szymanski was a distinguished governor of the Pennsylvania District in 2011-12, following terms as distinguished lieutenant governor and district membership chair.

The 2026 Kiwanis International Convention will be held in Manila, Philippines, June 25-27. 

Corporate memberships grow clubs 

Corporate memberships grow clubs 

Remember this option for expanding your roster.

By Tony Knoderer

For every Kiwanis club, new members are a lifeline to the future — both for the community and the club itself. That’s why it’s important to think creatively about who can be a member. Could your club use a little flexibility when it comes to making membership appealing? 

Don’t forget corporate memberships! At your club’s next meeting, encourage fellow members to discuss this option, which allows a company or organization to join as a member. You might even suggest that members work together to make a list of three to five candidates — and then contact them to start the recruiting process. 

Here’s how corporate membership works:  

  • The company is represented at meetings and events by an employee of the company’s choosing. 
  • The company can also choose to pay membership dues or ask the designated employee to do so. 
  • If the designated employee changes jobs, a new employee can be designated to take his or her place without being charged a new member fee. 
  • There is no limit to the number of memberships a company can have. (Each membership must have a specific person designated by the company.) 
  • A designated employee is welcome to invite other, nondesignated employees — as well as friends, family and others — to join the club or attend a meeting. 

Of course, this option is also excellent for nonprofit organizations. For any organization in your community, it’s a chance to do good for local kids — and to benefit from the connection to Kiwanis. 

Don’t forget: Kiwanis International offers an insert regarding corporate membership that fits our “Join Us” brochure — so people in your club can pass along the information above and more to any company or organizational representatives you meet with.  

The brochure and insert are free. They’re available on this Kiwanis Family Store page — along with other inserts that appeal to potential recruits’ specific interests.