Highlights from RIT Kosovo (A.U.K)’s annual “Support Kosova’s Next Success Story” Fundraising Event in New York

As 2023 draws to a close, we proudly reflect on our special fundraising event held in early November, in support of scholarships for bright students with limited financial means. Our annual fundraising event “Support Kosova’s Next Success Story” was held on November 1, 2023 at The Russian Tea Room in New York, gathering esteemed members of the Albanian-American diaspora, philanthropists, alumni, supporters, and friends of RIT Kosovo (A.U.K).

Ms. Nancy Bekavac, Chair of the RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) Board of Trustees, welcomed guests, emphasizing RIT Kosovo (A.U.K)'s pivotal role in shaping Kosova’s development and fueling innovation.  Among the notable attendees and supporters at the event was also the distinguished leader and longtime activist from the Albanian American community in the United States, Mr. Jim Xhema, whose admirable contributions to the Albanian cause have paved the way for our progress for generations to come.

As the event’s Keynote Speaker, we had the honor to welcome Ms. Buta Biberaj, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Loudoun County in Virginia. Ms. Biberaj gave an inspiring address on her personal journey to success through hard work and perseverance, highlighting the important role of education in opening life-changing opportunities.

As we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Founding our RIT Kosovo (A.U.K), this year’s event was a special occasion to honor the contributions of our longtime US-based supporters. Dr. Kamal Shahrabi, President of RIT Kosovo (A.U.K), distributed awards in recognition of visionary leadership to key members of our community: Mr. Richard Lukaj, co-founder of RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) and former Chair of the Board, Mr. Ron Cami, former Chair of the Board, Dr. Jim Mayers, Board Member, Mr. Shaun Byrnes, former Interim President and Board Member, and Mr. Cafo Boga, former Board Member.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Shahrabi thanked the Biberaj Foundation Inc. for hosting RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) at the Russian Tea Room and for their continuous support to our students through the prestigious Biberaj Family Scholarship.

Due to the generosity of our guests and sponsors, we were able to raise over $100,000 in support of our Scholarship Fund. Importantly, demonstrating an extraordinary level of commitment, Mr. Richard Lukaj offered to match all the funding raised at the event, bringing our total fundraising amount to an incredible amount of over $200,000.

Since about 65% of students rely on scholarships for their studies at RIT Kosovo (A.U.K), support from our donors remains essential. A massive Thank You to our supporters for their generosity and commitment to education:

 Full Donation Matching
Richard Lukaj

Diamond Sponsor
Nancy Y. Bekavac
Dr. Kamal Shahrabi

Platinum Sponsor
Jim Xhema
Biberaj Foundation Inc.
Elvin Guri

Gold Sponsors
Rochester Institute of Technology

Silver Sponsors
Ilirjan Rusi
Heini Conrad
 

Thank you to everyone who joined RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) at this special event celebrating the remarkable success stories of our students and alumni who are powering Kosova's growth as leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

We are deeply grateful for to the Albanian American diaspora who have consistently played a pivotal role in the development and progress of RIT Kosovo (A.U.K), contributing not only financially but also fostering a sense of community and shared purpose since our founding.

As RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) looks ahead to 2024, we remain committed to our mission of delivering high-quality education, fostering innovation, and creating a positive impact on Kosovo and beyond. Here’s to celebrating many more joint success stories!

For more information about RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) and future initiatives, please click here.