Magnet Student Awarded STEM Scholarship

Magnet Foundation Press Release

Silver Spring, MD— Induja Maheswaran of Bethesda, a 2012 graduate of the Montgomery Blair High School Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science Magnet Program, was named as the first recipient of the Haider Ali & Hosein STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics] Scholarship. As expressed by its benefactors, Mr. Abbas Haider Ali and Ms. Nadya Hosein, this scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Blair Magnet Senior class member who will pursue one or more of the STEM fields in college and has demonstrated financial need. Preference is given to students who are traditionally underrepresented in the STEM fields. Mr. Haider Ali has worked in the Washington, D.C. area technology community for over ten years, and he is currently Vice President and Technology Evangelist at xMatters in Bethesda, MD. Ms. Nadya Hosein has worked as a teacher over the past decade and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Social Work at Catholic University. Haider Ali and Hosein decided to offer a scholarship to the Blair Magnet senior class because they value higher education and believe that it is critical for young people to pursue STEM education, in particular, which can be difficult in the current economic climate. Haider Ali explains the reason they singled out the Blair Magnet in particular, “We chose to provide a scholarship to a Blair Magnet student after encountering the Blair Robotics team showcasing their projects at a local event. The students were articulate, ambitious, and very enthusiastic about Blair and the foundation the Magnet Program lays for their future.” The 2012 recipient of the Haider Ali & Hosein STEM Scholarship, Induja Maheswaran, will enter University of Maryland College Park as a Chemistry major in fall. She expresses her gratitude on being selected as the recipient of this scholarship and to the Blair Magnet, “I am very excited to be awarded this scholarship and am so grateful towards the Ali family for this wonderful blessing. In addition, my experience in the Blair Magnet has been a very unique yet challenging experience. Magnet courses have pushed me in ways I doubt any other school would have. The magnet teachers are absolutely amazing and are always willing to offer a helping hand.”