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January 24, 2002 FAIDA MUZALIWA NAMED AS KING/BURNS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT Faida Muzaliwa, a Boise State University student who came to the United States seeking refuge from the civil war in her home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, was named as recipient of the 2002 Martin Luther King Jr./Meredyth Burns scholarship. She was awarded the scholarship at the celebration dinner of Boise State’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights celebration Wednesday night, Jan. 23, and will be recognized again before the keynote address by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter at 7 p.m. tonight, Jan. 24 at The Pavilion. Muzaliwa, the daughter of Zaina and Illungu Muzaliwa of Meridian, is a 1999 graduate of Eagle High School. Now a junior majoring in accounting and finance, she was chosen for her extensive community service, particularly her commitment to promoting higher education among African American students. Muzaliwa is president of the Boise State Black Student Alliance and held the position of vice-president the previous two years. She volunteers at the Idaho Black History Museum, is an active member of the local community group Umoja of Africa, performs with a dance group that presents traditional African dances and has been involved in planning activities for Boise State’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights celebration. Muzaliwa has played a vital role in Boise State’s annual African American campus visitation program Black to the Future — helping plan the event, calling high school students at home, visiting their schools, mentoring them during their campus visits and being an overnight host in the residence halls. She also holds the job of comedy coordinator for the Student Programs Board, all while maintaining a high grade point average. Muzaliwa’s family came to the United States in 1994 under political asylum after living in Kenya as refugees for almost six years, having fled the violence in their war torn homeland. She plans to complete her undergraduate degree next year, then earn a masters degree in business administration and another in African studies. She hopes to eventually set up businesses in Africa and work toward bringing economic justice to the people of the Congo. "I feel lucky to have all the opportunities I have, which are largely attributed to the kindness and generosity of strangers and to the love and support of my family," Muzaliwa wrote in her scholarship essay. "I know there are millions of young people in Africa who have the same ambitions, the same drive and who are much smarter than I .... My dream is to use this opportunity that I have been given to bring opportunity to the less fortunate back home." Muzaliwa wrote that her personal theme is "you can never give enough." "Somebody somewhere could always need your help," she wrote in her essay. "That is why I do community service every chance I get — partly because I want to give back to the community that has been so kind to my family and also because I know that my help is needed. I have volunteered at the Women and Children’s Alliance, Veterans’ Home and the Black History Museum, where I am still a volunteer." This is the second year this scholarship has been given in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and Meredyth Burns, a young civil rights activist who was killed in an accident four years ago at the age of 15. Burns, who was the daughter of Kerry Burns and Boise State affirmative action director Betty Hecker, was an avid supporter of human rights and Boise State’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. The scholarship was funded by individual donors and the following corporations: Albertson’s, BMC West Corporation, Hewlett Packard, Qwest Foundation, J.R. Simplot Company and The Idaho Statesman. Contact: Media Contact:
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