Gateway Alumna | Community Builder – Fereshteh Ganjavi

“That $2,000 scholarship didn’t just help me finish school. It helped launch a nonprofit that now serves thousands.”

When Fereshteh and her husband arrived in the U.S. as refugees, they had determination but few resources. Their turning point came at CT State Community College Gateway.

“Gateway was more than a school. It was where we began again with dignity and purpose.”

Both earned their associate degrees. For Fereshteh, a $2,000 Gateway Community College Foundation scholarship from Alexion made all the difference. “It meant I could stay in school. It meant someone believed in me. That belief became the foundation for everything that came next.”

Today, Fereshteh is the founder and executive director of Elena’s Light, a Connecticut-based nonprofit focused on advancing equity for refugee and immigrant women and children, it has served over 7,000+ community members.

During the pandemic, Elena’s Light also delivered thousands of COVID and hygiene care packages to families in crisis.

“That scholarship wasn’t just financial aid. It was seed capital.”

Fereshteh’s journey illustrates the multiplier effect of investing in students through education, mentorship, and scholarships.

To Gateway supporters:
Your support for students fuels systems-level change.

When you give to the Gateway Foundation, you invest in leaders who reinvest in your community.