About Us

The Maleiha Carino Scholarship is brought to you by former Mather alumni Omeed Adham Sindy. Omeed and the support of Zade Kurdieh, Andrea Rivera, and Jasr Carino have worked tirelessly to ensure this scholarship is available for the 2021-2022 academic year.

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This scholarship is to commemorate the life of Maleiha Carino. This scholarship will assist a Mather Senior seeking higher education in a 4-year university or 2-year college. The student will be granted a one-time academic scholarship between $1,000 - $1,500. This scholarship will be given directly to the financial aid office of the student's university or college.

Maleiha was born on November 18th, 1995, in Chicago, Illinois. The daughter of Sambra and Sonny Carino and the sister of Jasr Carino. Maleiha attended Clinton Elementary School and Stephen T. Mather High School. She was accepted and planned to attend the Univesity of Illinois at Chicago in the Fall of 2014. Maleiha was diagnosed with Childhood Leukemia at 15, a cancer of the early blood-forming cells. She fought fearlessly through her early adolescence. Maleiha missed most of her high school experience due to countless hospital visits. It did not stop her from continuing her education.

Maleiha was determined to graduate with her peers and wanted nothing more than to be on stage with her friends. On June 8th, Maleiha walked on stage and accepted her diploma on graduation day. She could graduate on stage with her friends like she always wanted to. Maleiha fought courageously through the years and would go into remission, but cancer would return. On August 1st, 2014, she was laid to rest. Maleiha's inspiring story of courage in the face of all challenges is why we continue to work towards a better tomorrow.

To learn more about how Maleiha's life impacted Omeed, view this essay written in September 2014.