Ariston Foundation and the National Hellenic Student Association once again honored two students of Hellenic descent pursuing higher education in North America with a merit-based scholarship of $1,000 each on November 14, during the first virtual NHSA Convention.  

The recipients of the 2020 Ariston-NHSA scholarships are Michael Evangelopoulos, and Kostapanos Miliaresis.

Michael Evangelopoulos, pursuing a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University, holds several leadership positions in his field and within Hellenic organizations.

"I am truly honored to have been selected for this competitive scholarship … [the organizations’] investment in my education allows me to continue to strive toward the development of novel therapeutics through my graduate research and provides the groundwork for my future success,” Evangelopoulos said.

Evangelopoulos’ current research merges nanotechnology and oncology, exploring possibilities to make diagnostics more accessible in rural communities and to find therapies that can eradicate diseases like cancer.

“This scholarship also serves as a reminder of the support made possible by my fellow Hellenes and the value placed on giving back to our community. I will aspire to promote the Hellenic community and the next generation of students. I sincerely thank the NHSA and the Ariston Foundation for their support during these uncertain times and for their lasting generosity,” he said.

Kostapanos Miliaresis, pursuing his MBA at Fordham University, Gabelli School of Business, has a distinguished leadership and volunteering track record. He is notably one of the founders of ‘ethelon’ (formerly known as GloVo), which is Greece’s premier platform for volunteering and building communities. He is also an avid traveler and active member in many non-profit organizations.

"It is my great honour to have been awarded the Ariston Foundation-NHSA Scholarship,” Miliaresis said. “It means a lot when someone believes in you and supports your efforts to continue giving back to the community and Greek society, while empowering you to strive for excellence as a student,” he said.

In honor of the shared missions that each organization values, Ariston and NHSA joined efforts to launch the scholarship initiative in 2018, providing merit-based scholarships to distinguished students of Hellenic descent studying in the United States and Canada.

“I am proud that the initiative is now in its second year and I look forward to continue awarding students of Hellenic descent who have demonstrated our values of παιδεία, αριστεία, κοινωνία – personal growth, learning, and commitment to the Greek community,” said Alexander Thomopulos, former NHSA president.

Including the scholarship recipients, ten students are inducted into the Ariston Honors Society annually. The Ariston Honor Society is a select group of students publicly acknowledged for their high academic and leadership achievements among the scholarship applicants. Inducted into this year’s Ariston Honor Society are:

Maria Agoris at Loyola University Chicago, studying Biology; Alex Bageris at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, pursuing a Doctorate of Dental Surgery;

Sophia Dimos at Georgia Institute of Technology, studying Environmental Engineering; Metaxenia Evangeloulis at George Washington University, studying Psychology with minors in Statistics and Organizational Sciences; Nicoletta Gasparis at State University of New York at Stony Brook, studying English, Spanish Language and Literature; Kalliope Anastasia Kourti at Stanford University studying Computational and Mathematical Engineering; Alexandra Liotopoulos at Queens College, Flushing studying Political Science; Maria Manoussakis at Stevens Institute of Technology studying Mechanical Engineering with a Biomedical Engineering Concentration.

“This initiative is a great example of Hellenic diaspora organizations run by students and young professionals giving back in a direct and meaningful way to promising individuals in the Hellenic community,” said Ariston Foundation President Vasiliki Mitrakos. 

The scholarship fund was supported by numerous small donations from the Greek-American and Greek-Canadian communities. Scholarship donors receive a complimentary copy of Portes Magazine for their support. For more information on how to support this scholarship fund, please visit nhsaofamerica.org.