After a long time of planning and talking with Nadia Eghbal, the founder of Helium Grant, I’m starting a grant program called Xor Grant for high school seniors to support younger generations in pursuing their academic and personal goals. The mission is to support students who are passionate about solving interesting problems and thinking outside the box.
I’m hoping that this will accomplish the following goals:
Help level the playing field for students who may not have access to the resources they need to pursue their interests and passions. The award is no-strings-attached with the trust that the students will freely utilize the funds however they want; whether it’s buying a new laptop, going to a tech conference, or simply taking a vacation trip.
Validate and reward the students’ efforts and sacrifices. When I was selected for the scholarships and grants I’ve applied to, I felt a sense of validation that my hard work was somehow acknowledged by others. I want to extend this same feeling to the students who will be starting their college years.
Pay it forward. Just as I’m paying forward to the younger generations with this program, I have high hopes that they’ll do the same in one way or another. Collectively, we can make the society better little by little.