Jack Killion Entrepreneurial Scholarship Awards Committee Selects Two, Nithya Ramani and Belle Zou

Nithya and Belle were selected from a strong list of applicants from across the country. Our committee will give scholarships of $4,000 each to Nithya and Belle.

Announcing the 2023 Jack Killion Entrepreneurial Scholarship awards, committee chair, Jonathan Killion commented: "We are pleased to recognize Nithya and Belle as recipients of the Jack Killion Entrepreneurial Scholarship.We are excited to continue to honor Dad's legacy by supporting and encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs.I know he would be impressed with all the candidates who applied and pleased we could recognize both Nithya and Belle for their unique and impressive accomplishments. Both Nithya and Belle's entrepreneurial efforts share an important common theme, they seek to teach and inform others about our individual differences with the goal of making the world a more informed, unified and compassionate place."

Scholarship Recipients

Nithya Raman 

South Lakes High School, Reston, Va,

Founder of Ink Children's Books

Virginia Tech '28

Ink Children's Books was started as a way to give children the stories they never heard with the hopes that the stories help shape younger generations by instilling values of empathy, kindness, and respect for one another while allowing everyone to see themselves in the books that they read.She felt children's books underrepresented different backgrounds and/or stories, she saw the opportunity to publish stories about different types of children.

Ink Childrens Books is 100% student run and consists of a team of 18 high school students.It is a 501©(3) where all proceeds from book sales go to charities.

• Odd Lunch Out - which tells the tale of a Chinese American girl who overcomes feeling insecure about the traditional Chinese lunch she takes to school after being made fun of by her peers.
• Super Spectacular Sushi Cycle – A story that takes the reader into the creative world of a spectacular restaurant, sushi of ALL kinds gets selected for a splendid dinner. But when a special sushi realizes it doesn't look like the rest, it begins to feel shy, and struggles with self-confidence. Will Sushi's insecurity stop it from completing the super spectacular sushi cycle? Or will Sushi be able to find confidence from within?

We encourage everyone to support Ink Children's books by ordering their own - https://inkchildrensbooks.square.site/

Belle Zou

Downingtown STEM Academy, Downingtown, PA,

Founder of Mei Cha (https://meichabubbletea.com)

University of Pennsylvania '28

She saw the opportunity to create a safe space and a way for her community to experience her culture. Also practically speaking, there was no boba shop nearby.The business started as a pop-up drink business, appearing at local community/school events.In May 2023, they opened their first physical location in Downingtown, PA. and are open 5 days a week for 8 hours a day.

We encourage anyone in Southeastern Pennsylvania to swing by Mei Cha for a Bubble Tea.

About the Scholarship

The Jack Killion Entrepreneurial Scholarship was first awarded in 2022 to Isabel Lin, a graduate of Kinnelon (NJ) High School who is a student at Brandeis University, Boston, Mass.The Scholarship was created by family and friends to perpetuate Jack's legacy of encouragement to young people to think entrepreneurially by recognizing opportunity through creative ideas.

Applications for the Jack Killion Entrepreneurial Scholarship can be found at www.gswoman.com.