Supported by a Gettysburg College education, our students lean into their knowledge, skills, and talents to make a change in their home countries through leadership and service opportunities.
Since 2016, Gettysburg College has partnered with the SHE-CAN scholarship program to enable young women to serve as conduits for change in their home nations of Cambodia, Guatemala, Liberia, and Rwanda. Through scholarships, mentorship, and leadership training, scholars gain the skills and confidence to drive meaningful change.
At Gettysburg College, this partnership fosters a supportive environment where the following SHE-CAN scholars have thrived academically, personally, and as emerging leaders. Together, these individuals strengthen Gettysburg through leadership, service, and global perspective. Their achievements showcase the power of the SHE-CAN partnership, cultivating changemakers who drive impact on campus and around the world.
Mishael Ohanwadi ’25, who majored in environmental studies at Gettysburg, personifies the SHE-CAN impact. At Gettysburg, Ohanwadi studied abroad in Seville, Spain, served as a Resident Assistant, and contributed to the College’s sports medicine team.
Through the Garthwait Leadership Certificate and her work as a financial well-being ambassador, Ohanwadi developed leadership and service skills that she continues to apply as an environmental and food policy intern at the Corn Refiners Association, advancing sustainability and improving the lives of Liberian citizens.
Drawn to community health advocacy, Tawah Tamba ’26, a health sciences major from Liberia, dedicated herself to public health and service. As the founder and CEO of Ayuda Humanitarian Initiatives, she supports vulnerable communities through food distribution and empowerment programs. In 2025, she led a summer initiative in Liberia, Make a Change, focused on menstrual hygiene education and entrepreneurship, helping women produce sustainable menstrual products.
Reflecting on her experience, Tamba said, “Being selected as a SHE-CAN scholar was a dream come true.” She credits Gettysburg’s supportive environment—including the DiscipleMakers Christian Fellowship (DCF), the Center for Public Service, the Gettysburg African Student Association (GASA), Campus Kitchen, and WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital—for helping her transform her personal story into acts of purposeful service to others.
Antoinette Weah ’27 of Liberia lives a life of leadership, entrepreneurship, and service. A health sciences major with a business minor, she serves as vice president of the Class of 2027 and is an active member of the Student Senate. In 2025, she took part in the Public Service Immersion Project in Puerto Rico, where she explored issues related to statehood, debt, and entrepreneurship.
Weah is the founder and CEO of OC CREAM, a business that empowers youth and women in Liberia. She has also led first-aid training initiatives, global immersion experiences, and clinical shadowing. Driven by her vision to strengthen Liberia’s health care and economic systems, Weah continues to build a future rooted in innovation, leadership, and social impact.
Aspiring to become an international lawyer, Sema Williams ’27 of Liberia focuses on combating marginalization, gender-based violence, and rape in Liberia. At Gettysburg, as an international and global studies and sociology double major, she applies her knowledge to advocacy, research, and community projects like her nonprofit organization, Girls Breaking Barriers, through which she teaches girls about leadership and entrepreneurship and supports access to education for underprivileged high school students.
“Being selected as a SHE-CAN scholar feels both empowering and humbling,” Williams said. “It means someone saw potential in me and believed in my ability to lead and create change.”
Through the Eisenhower Institute, Center for Public Service, and leadership in GASA (Gettysburg African Student Association), Williams strengthens her voice and skills to champion women’s education and empowerment.
Nimol Seng ’28, an international and global studies major from Cambodia, brings academic excellence and a global perspective to Gettysburg. She serves as campus ambassador for The Women’s Network, secretary of the Chinese Culture Club, and participates in Model United Nations and the International Affairs Association.
Seng also volunteers on projects addressing food insecurity and sustainability. She strives to strengthen Cambodia’s international development and empower women in her home country.
Sengly “Lyz” An ’29, a double major in international and global studies and political science from Cambodia, has worked to expand access to education through her role as a communications specialist at Snoopedu, where she helps integrate hands-on STEAM education into Cambodian school curricula. She has also gained experience in digital marketing with Jaikon Team2, supporting the distribution of international films in Cambodia, worked as a private Khmer tutor for expatriates, and contributed to a BBC interview translation project on efforts to address domestic violence in Cambodia.
“Coming from very humble roots, SHE-CAN has eased financial pressures and allowed me to fully immerse myself in my college experience,” An said. She added that she is ready to turn her Gettysburg education into opportunities to create meaningful impact at home and abroad.
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By Awa Diop ’29
Main photo by Kailey White ’21
Posted: 05/20/26