The 2022 Paul DeRuosi Memorial Community Service Scholarship will be presented to Fresno State sophomore Ali Fakhrudin Dadawalla at the Spirit of Service reception on May 4. The award, which includes a $1,000 scholarship, is given each year to a student who exemplifies the commitment to service that Paul DeRuosi championed during his distinguished 31-year career at Fresno State.
In 2010, Dadawalla found his love for community service and engagement through the Cub Scouts program. He volunteered with numerous community partners and achieved his dream of becoming an Eagle Scout.
Dadawalla’s Eagle Scout project consisted of planning, overseeing and facilitating a service project with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commision Sanctuary Youth Shelter to repair and clean up its dilapidated shelter and serve dinner to attendees of the sanctuary. This project included fixing the roof, polishing the main halls, organizing and cleaning up the supply shed and beautifying the entrance to the shelter.
His service work didn’t end there. He completed a total of 1,730 volunteer hours at organizations such as the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno, Central California Food Bank, Sunrise Senior Living, Valley Children’s Hospital and Bethel Church in Sanger and Arizona during his high school years. A neuroscience major and member of the Smittcamp Family Honors College, Dadawalla has completed a total of 350 hours of community service within the past year.
“I am truly honored and grateful to receive such a prestigious award,” Dadawalla said. “I will carry forward Mr. DeRuosi’s legacy by continuing to serve communities in Fresno and beyond.“
The Paul DeRuosi Memorial Community Service Scholarship is sponsored by the DeRuosi family and is administered by the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning at Fresno State. This is the fourth year the scholarship has been awarded.
For more information, contact Taylan Parker, Richter Center, at 559.278.7079.
(Story by Taylan Parker)
