Distinguished Community Service Commendation – 2024

Greetings,

In March 2024, the Iran Cultural & Educational Center (ICEC) was awarded the “Distinguished Community Service Commendation – 2024” in recognition for its cultural and educational achievements by Middle Eastern American Advisory Group (MEAAG) of the Montgomery County. MEAAG is one of five cultural and ethnic advisory groups in Montgomery County, Maryland, formed “to strengthen relationships between the government and the residents.” 

Since its inception in 1989, ICEC has created a “nurturing environment that strengthens the sense of community connection, and appreciation of Iranian heritage and Persian language” thanks to the unwavering support of a vibrant, all-volunteer community, a dedicated instructional staff, eager learners, and talented student alumni. This award is testament to our collective resolve in preserving our cultural heritage by passing it on to the next generation.

In 2013, ICEC was the recipient of a set of proclamations and commendation certificates from the Montgomery County Executive, the Attorney General of the State of Maryland and the Comptroller of the State of Maryland in which they commended ICEC for having “greatly enriched the community” by  “… creating an environment that fosters appreciation of cultural diversity among young learners and thus helping them become ambassadors of cultural awareness.” The awards also emphasized ICEC’s “legacy of excellence in providing outstanding educational opportunities.”

Congratulations to all our present and past students, teachers, and parents!

ICEC Board of Directors

Greetings,

Words cannot convey the extent of our gratitude to the Anjoman, Norooz (Nowruz) Committee, past and present parent, and student volunteers, as well as the instructional staff and students for offering our community another memorable Norooz (Nowruz) celebration. Your ingenuity, tireless work, generosity with your time, excellent communication and coordination, and above all your love of the children and your cultural heritage resulted in an event that was no less than perfect. During the one-hour and forty-five-minute program, students of all ages, from kindergarteners to high schoolers, took pride in performing the best of the unique Iranian culture, from songs to dances, performances, a play, and music. Needless to say, that throughout the program, many past and present parent and student volunteers worked also behind the scenes to ensure that everything went smoothly and as planned so nothing interfered with the students’ performances. Warm and welcoming reception that followed exemplified also perfect planning and excellent management.  

Throughout the years your unwavering support has been an integral part of shared efforts in preserving our cultural heritage. The vibrant ICEC community that we have the privilege of being part of and working with today is testament to your resolve in passing this heritage onto the second and third generations. This year’s Norooz (Nowruz) celebration was another reminder of that resolve for which we are more than thankful to you.

نوروزتان پیروز، هر روزتان نوروز

Happy Norooz 

ICEC

Iran Cultural and Educational Center

Iran Arbabi Scholarship

Iran Cultural and Educational Center

Iran Arbabi Scholarship

The Iran Arbabi Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to students of Iranian descent entering or attending an accredited post-secondary institution. The scholarship is granted annually to at least one eligible applicant, selected based on the eligibility criteria listed below. An independent Selection Committee consisted of distinguished scholars and chaired by a member of the ICEC Board of Trustees screens applications. Members of the Selection Committee may also interview the finalists. The recipient (s) may use the scholarship to attend an accredited American college or university in a full-time undergraduate or graduate degree program in Maryland, Virginia, or District of Columbia. Scholarships are not limited to any
specific field or career objective and may be used to pursue any academic discipline for undergraduate or graduate studies. 

2023-2024 Scholarship

For the academic year 2023-2024, up to two separate scholarships of $1500 each ($750 each semester) will be awarded to applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and are selected by the Selection Committee. One of the two scholarships in 2023-2024 has been made possible by a donation from the National University of Iran Alumni Association.

Basic Requirements

Applicants should meet the following requirements to be considered for the Iran Arbabi Scholarship. They must:

1. Be of Iranian descent;
2. Lawfully reside in the Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia, United Sates;
3. Submit verification of participation in activities that promote Persian culture and heritage to include, but not limited to attendance at a Farsi language school, participation in Persian art or cultural group (music, dance, theater, etc.), volunteer activities for a Persian community-based charity, active participation in a Persian student association, etc.
4. Attend, or be accepted for attendance, at an accredited American college or university in a full-time undergraduate or graduate degree program in Maryland, Virginia or District of Columbia.
5. If attending, or accepted for attendance, an undergraduate program:

•       Possess a high school diploma, or the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma,
•       Have good academic standing (GPA of 3.0 or higher)

6. If attending a graduate program: a) Possess proof of successful completion of undergraduate studies, i.e., bachelor’s degree `

All participants need to:

1. Complete and submit a Scholarship Application Form.
2. Two letters of recommendation; at least one letter should be from an instructor/professor or other high school/college professional.
3. An official transcript with the college seal on it.
4. Two one-page essays each on:
   • What are your dreams and aspirations?
   • How has your cultural heritage formed the person you are, and in what way will this serve you as an asset to promote Persian language and culture in the future?

 Important Application Dates

The Application Form will be available for download from the ICEC website at:

ICEC-Scholarship-Program-Application-Form

June 30, 2023– Final postmarked deadline in order to be considered for the 2023-2024 Scholarship Program.  Application materials must be mailed in one packet to:

                            Iran Abrabi Scholarship Program

                            Iran Cultural and Educational Center

                            14644 Pinto Lane, Rockville, MD 20850-3536

 Incomplete, e-mailed, or faxed applications will not be considered.

 August 15, 2023: Winners of the scholarship will be notified, and names will be posted on the ICEC web site.

Scholarship Conditions

The Iran Arbabi Scholarships may be used to supplement existing benefits from the student’s college or university, or from other foundations or organizations. Funds will be paid to selected candidates upon receiving transcripts and proof of course registration and enrollment. Financial need may be taken into consideration in awarding a scholarship. If the Scholarship Committee determines that financial need will be taken into consideration, the applicant may be required to provide financial information at a later time. 

A recipient’s scholarship can be revoked if the student:

• fails to graduate from high school.
• fails to enroll in an institution of higher education in the year for which the scholarship was awarded.
• fails to comply with the rules, regulations, or conditions of the institution the student attends; or
• receives the scholarship through error or contrary to law.

Retroactive payment of the scholarship is not permitted.

The Iran Arbabi Scholarship Program, established in 2014, continued its annual scholarship awards for the academic year 2022-2023.  In August 2022, an independent Panel of Experts, appointed by the ICEC Board of Trustees, using specific criteria, evaluated the qualifications and merits of all applicants. It is a great pleasure to announce that the Scholarship Committee has decided to award the top two applicants to each $1,500.  The awardees whose names appear below have been so notified. The profiles of the awardees are posted on ICEC website and ICEC social media web pages.

Miss Nikki Faroughi                        

Miss Shaadi (Iris) Ghorbani