Rotary Club of Pasadena Awards Two Global Grant Scholarships

The Rotary Club of Pasadena has approved two Rotary International Global Grant Scholarships, each valued at $31,000, for recipients Richa Parikh and Tallan Donine.

Parikh, a graduate of Claremont-McKenna College with a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics with emphasis in Legal Studies, will use her scholarship to pursue a Master of Legal Studies at the University of New Zealand. Her studies aim to deepen her understanding of legal frameworks, enabling her to influence policies that mitigate gender-based conflicts, the Rotary Club said in a statement.

Parikh’s experience includes volunteering at a Rotary-sponsored education center in Cape Verde, Africa, designed to divert children from the dangers of street life and prevent prevalent street violence. She also served as a Correspondence Intern and Advance Associate in Vice President Kamala Harris’s White House office.

Donine, also a Claremont-McKenna College graduate with a B.A. in International Relations, will pursue a Master of Legal Studies in Human Rights at the University of Edinburgh Law School, the Rotary Club said. Her goal is to enhance her understanding of international legal mechanisms used by atrocity prevention practitioners and assist nongovernmental agencies in preventing large-scale systemic violence against civilians.

Donine’s background includes participation in the International Trainings of Peace and Conflict Program in Serbia, Kosovo, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and an internship at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Most recently, Donine worked as a Research Assistant in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide for two years.

The Rotary Club of Pasadena #794, led by President Stephen Smith, boasts 200 members who meet weekly and contribute to various community and international projects. These initiatives include efforts to eradicate polio, music and ethics contests, community grants, international projects, and RYLA – Teen Leadership, among others, according to the statement.

Rotary International is a global organization of 1.4 million members across 46,000 clubs in 220 countries and regions, providing over 47 million volunteer hours annually. The Pasadena chapter is the oldest and largest Rotary Club in the San Gabriel Valley and is part of District 5300.