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May/Jun 2024 | Vol. 81 No. 3

DKG INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS FOUNDATION COLUMN

The World Fellowship Fund

ellowship is one of the most cited benefits of being a DKG member. As our world
Fgrows smaller thanks to readily accessible air travel and efficient communication
such as email, digital meetings, and cell phones, DKG continues to foster fellowship
around the globe through the World Fellowship program. The World Fellowship (WF) Fund, one of nine funds
managed by the DKG International Educators Foundation (DKGIEF), provides financial assistance for international
women candidates who are not DKG members to pursue graduate studies in Canada and the United States.
Since 1960, 1,055 women in 122 countries have received WF awards totaling $3,806,250. The 2023–2024 WF
grant recipients include 10 master’s candidates, 5 doctoral students, and 8 scholarship extensions.

The Stories

Women worldwide are grateful for the opportunity to study and earn degrees to help impact their students
and improve their home country. Here are some of their stories from recent years.
Isbel Lopetequi
Isbel, a doctoral student from Cuba, studied at the University of Calgary in Alberta,
Canada. She conducted breast cancer research that she hopes will benefit not only

women in Cuba but women everywhere.
She shared, “I am deeply grateful to The Delta Kappa Gamma Society for awarding me
this scholarship. It represents a great economic relief. It is also a source of pride because
this was awarded by a Society of educators, and education is my passion.”

Margaret Ikape
Margaret, a native of Nigeria, studied for her doctoral degree in astronomy and

astrophysics at the University of Toronto. She deeply desires to empower other young African
women to pursue their dreams.
Margaret expressed her appreciation, “I’m very grateful to be awarded and recognized
for this DKG award and to know that my research and my contributions to science
education [are] being acknowledged. This further reinforces my desire to continue my
studies and to pave the path for young Africans in the same disciplines.”

Zhanar Tostubayeva
Zhanar was a master’s degree candidate from Kazakhstan studying at Ohio University
in Athens, Ohio. As an 11-year English teacher, she worked with students with intellectual
and other types of disabilities. Zhanar wanted to further her knowledge and skills to
become a more successful teacher for students with disabilities. When first receiving
notice of her award, she did not know what DKG was. She soon started receiving cards

and messages from DKG members all over the United States and quickly became proud that she was part of this
wonderful family.
Zhanar was excited to “...learn so many useful things about how to work with kids See DKGIEF p.9

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