Past Parker Scholarship Winners
Parker Scholarship 2026
The Delaware County Democratic Party is proud to award a Robert E. Parker Scholarship to Maureen Nafula and Anisha Venkatakrishnan!
Maureen Nafula
From her earliest days as a freshman at Hayes, Maureen has been a committed voice for racial equity, including through her participation in OSU’s DREAMS project. She has shown a willingness to engage in difficult conversations, bringing her advocacy for a broader understanding of racial equality to both the Delaware City Council and the Board of Education. Her influence extends into the cultural life of the community as well. At the Delaware Arts Festival, she has championed an inclusive vision of immigrants as fully American, and she has represented the next generation as a youth delegate to the Guardians for Good fundraiser benefiting Delaware’s Helpline crisis services.
Maureen’s leadership is equally evident in the arts and in preserving community history. As stage manager for the Central Ohio Symphony and secretary of the Delaware African American Heritage Council, she has demonstrated the kind of purposeful, multi-faceted commitment that sets a powerful example for her peers.
Anisha Venkatakrishnan
Anisha has built an impressive record of leadership and civic engagement since entering Olentangy Liberty High School as a freshman. In the school’s speech and debate program, she has earned recognition as a public forum debater and taken on the role of social media manager. Her commitment to inclusion is reflected in her work with the Diversity Alliance of Liberty, where she has participated in MLK Service Days and risen to co-president. She has also distinguished herself through the Mock Trial Club and her service on the Ohio Attorney General’s Teen Ambassador Board, where she addressed issues of sexual and labor trafficking.
Beyond the classroom, Anisha has pursued meaningful professional and civic experiences. In the summer of 2025, she interned with the Franklin County Auditor’s Office in real estate, and collaborated with the ACLU’s National Advisory Institute to push back against legislation threatening First Amendment rights, particularly for LGBTQ individuals. She has served her community directly as a youth poll worker in Powell. A dedicated musician as well, she is vice president of the Liberty High School orchestra and has led sessions at Otterbein’s Summer Strings Camp.
Parker Scholarship 2025
Parker Scholarship 2024
Two Delaware County high school students received Parker scholarships in 2024.
Left: Eric Gitson of Delaware Hayes with Parker Scholarship committee chair David Simmons.
Right: Kaitlyn Davidson of Buckeye Valley with First Vice-Chair Joydeep Gupta.
Parker Scholarship 2023
2023 Parker Scholarship winners are Parker Parker, left, from Dublin Jerome High School, and Diya Rajan, center, from Olentangy High School, with David Simmons, chair of the Parker Scholarship committee.
Congratulations, Parker and Diya!
Parker Scholarship 2021
The Delaware County Democratic Party is proud to congratulate four local teens for receiving the county party’s Robert E. Parker Scholarship. The party awards these scholarships each year to graduating seniors at area high schools who intend to continue their schooling at the collegiate level. The recipients are:
- Kylie Hanson, Olentangy Orange High School
- Mackenzie Collett, Delaware Hayes High School
- Lisa Choe, Buckeye Valley High School
- Brynn McGrail, Delaware Hayes High School
“All of the applicants were extraordinarily gifted. Although the competition this year was extremely stiff, all four recipients’ total scores clearly set them apart,” said David Simmons, committee chair. “Congratulations to these highly deserving seniors!”
The Parker Scholarship is named after the late Robert B. Parker, a Delaware businessman and longtime member of the Delaware County Democratic Party. He served as treasurer for the Party for many years.
After Parker passed away in 1985, the party created the scholarship named in Parker’s honor to be available to students at public high schools in the county. To be eligible, applicants must have at least one parent who is a registered Democrat. The selection committee uses an evaluation system based on academics, extra-curricular activities, community activities, political activity, and an essay on long-term goals and career objectives.If you would like to contribute to this fund, you may donate here. Please note in the text box that the contribution should be directed to the Parker Scholarship.