Give to the Raza and Falon Padhani Endowed Scholarship

A first-generation student, Raza Padhani was the first in his family to enter the American system of higher education. When it came time to consider college, he didn't know how to apply or where to go to find out more about this type of information. He applied to several universities during his high school design class, but his admission essays were not well thought out and he wasn't accepted.

He turned to Seminole State where a whole new world opened to him.  He initially chose mechanical engineering as his major but switched to software engineering. Raza graduated from Seminole State Cum Laude with an associate of arts degree and continued his studies at the University of Florida, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.  Raza now works in Amsterdam, Netherlands as a software engineer for Wolt and previously for Door Dash as a Senior Software Engineer.

His wife, Falon, also works in the computer technology industry.  She completed her bachelor's degree at the American University in Washington, D.C., and then began her career at Google, working first in Google Ads, then at Google's non-profit division. She is working for Miro in the business operations division.

Raza credits Seminole State as one of the best experiences he has ever had.  He says the smaller class sizes and individualized attention by the professors developed his confidence and helped him to meet other students, many of whom are still friends today.

Faculty and staff, including Professor Randy Pawlowski and Mauricio Garcia, introduced him to student organizations, where he thrived. He became Vice President for Phi Theta Kappa, a two-year college honor society, and served as one of ten Leadership Challenge Retreat facilitators, planning five overnight retreats for over 400 participants. Raza still remains active with Seminole State,  as a student speaker, scholarship reviewer, and alumni events.   

The Raza and Falon Endowed Scholarship was established to encourage students to attend Seminole State and utilize all the advantages the College has to offer.  Students with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher with an interest in technology, logistics, space exploration, natural energy, or entrepreneurship, are eligible to apply.

Success Stories

Niya Lane is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. As she was entering her senior year, she experienced a medical issue. Dependent on Federal Financial Assistance,  Niya was not able to take enough classes to receive funding.  As the inaugural recipient of the Raza and Falon Padhani Endowed Scholarship, Niya was able to keep her educational dreams alive and attend one class in the Fall term.

" I almost gave up trying to stay active in my degree for the rest of the year. With your support, I have a newfound hope in seeing the finish line.  I am forever grateful to be the first recipient and hope to make the most of this opportunity." - Niya Lane