If you met Mariam Falana, you would be immediately impressed with her poise and maturity. Losing her father to a work-related accident the day before she turned 12, she has faced challenges and responsibilities that have made her grow up quickly.

Kids’ Chance of America (KCOA) is proud to announce Mariam as the 2022 Jim Hudak and Sally Silvia Scholarship awardee. She will be heading to Rice University—ranked #1 in the state of Texas by U.S. News & World Report—this fall as a freshman pursuing a degree in neuroscience, armed with the support of Kids’ Chance of Texas (KCTX) as well as this additional scholarship from KCOA.

“My personal endeavors in the immersive medical industry are more feasible and tangible as a result of this scholarship,” Mariam said. “This scholarship essentially expedites my affinity for learning and will curate my professional career for years to come.”

Mariam and her family moved to Texas when she was five years old. She, her parents, and three siblings settled in Midland, Texas, where her father worked hard to provide for his family. After his death in 2017, Mariam channeled her energy into her academics. She graduated third in her class with a 3.9 GPA despite a course load filled with challenging AP and dual-credit courses.

In addition to her academics, Mariam has served her community as a Midland Young Leader, certified EMT, tutor, and library assistant. She is a role model to young women as part of the Midland chapter of the Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club and Girls Who Code.

Going to college a several-hour drive away from home was a difficult decision for Mariam to make. She will leave behind her mother to care for her two young brothers. Mariam has worked closely with one of her brothers who is autistic. It was her brother’s autism diagnosis that sparked her interest in neuroscience and how the brain works.

Following her education at Rice University, Mariam has set the goal of starting a medical practice where she can care for low-income patients and utilize her STEM education for the good of others.

Kids’ Chance state organizations across the country provide scholarships to children of workers who have been seriously or fatally injured on the job. Through the generosity of Jim Hudak and Sally Silvia there is an additional national scholarship available each year, providing further support to state scholarship programs. Each state organization may submit one of their kids as a candidate every year.

“Sally and I are so proud to be able to offer this scholarship to students like Mariam who have overcome incredibly difficult challenges to get to where they are today,” Jim Hudak said. “Deciding to establish this scholarship with Kids’ Chance of America through an endowment was one of the best decisions of our lives and will have an impact for years to come.”

For Mariam, the scholarship is truly life-changing.

“With such great support from Kids’ Chance, the sheer number of opportunities and options that have opened is truly inexplicable,” she said. “I will forever be appreciative. Thank you and accept my deepest gratitude."

‍About the Jim Hudak and Sally Silvia Scholarship Fund

‍Created in 2019, the Jim Hudak and Sally Silvia Scholarship Fund is part of the Kids’ Chance of America Endowment established through the generosity of James B. Hudak, former Chief Executive Chairman and Executive Officer of Paradigm Outcomes, capping a career distinguished by innovative thinking and a history of building motivated, cohesive teams. Jim’s leadership in the workers’ compensation industry led him to Kids’ Chance of America, and his dedication and commitment has enabled the charity’s growth as a national scholarship platform. Sally has a long history of charitable activity and she has a passion for supporting the education of women and girls to help them achieve economic empowerment. Learn More

‍About the Kids’ Chance Endowment

‍The Kids’ Chance of America Endowment is a living legacy to those families impacted by a work-related injury or death, allowing the next generation to pursue educational dreams without financial burden. Established in 2019 with a gift from workers’ comp industry leader and philanthropist, James Hudak, The Kids’ Chance of America Endowment provides funding, in perpetuity, to ensure that Kids’ Chance can provide scholarships to children affected by a parent’s work-related injury or death. Learn More