Fabiha Hatem Earns GW SJT Scholarship

Fabiha Hatem (‘23), second from right, with Ms. Tully, Ms. Isaac, Ms. Sinprasith and family Credits: Sylvia Isaac

For many Walls seniors, college remains full of unknowns; numerous students don’t know yet where they’ll be in school next year, and most of those who do are braving new environments and people.

However, Fabiha Hatem (‘23) already has many major questions about next year answered because she knows she’ll be staying here in D.C.

Hatem was a 2023 recipient of the GW Stephen Joel Trachtenberg (SJT) Scholarship. The scholarship program was launched by former GW president Stephen Joel Trachtenberg in 1989 and to serve D.C. students. The scholarship serves D.C. residents who attend public, private, and charter schools within D.C.

According to the GW website, every year since it has “provid[ed] academically talented D.C. high school seniors with a full, four-year scholarship covering tuition, room and board, books and fees at the university.”

Hatem is interested in business and “applied because [she] knows that their business school is good,” she said.

Ten students in D.C. are chosen for the scholarship each year. This year, selected students hailed from Mckinley Technology High School, Georgetown Visitation High School, Paul International High School, Coolidge High School, Columbia Heights Educational Campus, Dunbar High School, Benjamin Banneker High School, and Gonzaga High School in addition to Walls.

Seven of the 10 selected students were from DCPS.

All of the selected SJT scholars participate in a weekly seminar once at GW. The goal of the seminar is not formalized instruction or education, but rather, cultivating relationships among SJT scholars. The prospect of this tight-knit group appealed to Fabiha. “I like the SJT program because of how the community seems,” she said.

To receive the scholarship, students like Hatem had to submit an application to GW by the regular decision deadline of Jan. 5 and subsequently be nominated by their school counselor for the scholarship by Jan. 11.

Hatem, along with other finalists for the scholarship, completed a brief interview with a GW Admissions Committee member.

“It wasn’t long at all. They asked about why I wanted to stay in D.C.,” Hatem said. “I have a big family, so staying in D.C. and staying with them was important.”

Congratulations Fabiha!