Sarah Milgrim served others: Any scholarship in her name honors her memory well | Opinion
A year ago Thursday, a young woman from Prairie Village and her boyfriend were murdered in an antisemitic attack in Washington, D.C. I didn’t know either of them, but I remember that when I heard about their deaths, it just made me sick and sad.
Of course, it is always terribly sad when a young life is so senselessly taken, but the killing of Sarah Lynn Milgrim was particularly gut-wrenching for many in the Kansas City area because she was dedicating her life to building bridges of understanding, kindness and hope among people, as well as championing the protection of the environment.
Her family and friends describe Milgrim as a woman with “passion for peace building,” so it was unthinkable that hate allegedly motivated a gunman to shoot and kill her and her partner Yaron Lischinsky outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington on May 5, 2025, as the Israeli embassy staffers left an American Jewish Committee event for young diplomats and professionals.
Everything I’ve read about this young woman tells me she was truly altruistic — a character trait that seems in such short supply these days — when the U.S. and many other parts of the world seem so unnecessarily divided by hate, bigotry, cruelty, divisive political rhetoric and distrust.
A crowdsourcing platform set up to raise money for special projects at the University of Kansas said Milgrim, who at the time of her death worked as coordinator of civil society affairs in the Public Diplomacy Department at the Israeli Embassy in D.C., strived to connect with “young adults, diverse community groups including LGBTQ+ groups, people of color, Indigenous communities, women’s organization and marginalized communities.” It said she also “worked tirelessly to build bridges between people, promote dialogue and to ensure all voices are heard.”
So, yes, I can’t stop thinking that if we had more people like Milgrim, maybe we could revitalize the world and make it a better and more peaceful place for us all to live.
It’s why I was pretty stoked to hear that this year on the anniversary of this young woman’s death two new scholarships in her name are in the works — one is already accepting applications — not only to mark a remembrance of Milgrim and her life, but also to encourage others to follow in the pathway she walked. I heard there could be a book and maybe even a movie about her life coming at some point too, but not so soon.
The Sarah Milgrim Justice in Action Scholarship from Overland Park’s Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee will be awarded annually to one or more students who have participated in the organization’s programming. It is meant to recognize “young leaders who advance social justice, combat antisemitism, and foster interfaith and civic engagement,” according to the application information.
“Sarah’s compassion, courage and commitment to justice touched everyone who knew her,” said Neta Meltzer, executive director of JCRB/AJC. “Through this scholarship, her light will continue to guide and inspire young leaders who are dedicated to building a more just and caring world.”
At this point, there’s $5,000 in scholarship funds available for 2026. The expectation is that multiple full or partial scholarships will be awarded to help winners pay for special projects or experiences only. The scholarship is not designed to supplement college or K-12 tuition fees.
Applications are due May 29.
Meanwhile, at the University of Kansas, where Milgrim did her undergraduate work in environmental studies, a second Sarah Milgrim scholarship fund is being established to advance environmental peacebuilding and sustainability.
Milgrim had a master’s degree in international affairs from American University and a second master’s degree in resource development and sustainability from the UN’s University of Peace in Costa Rica. The goal is to raise $25,000 — they are nearly halfway there — for the KU scholarship fund, which is planned as an endowment to support student opportunities — such as internships, research and travel — that students would not otherwise be able to afford.
I don’t know why horrible things happen to wonderful people, but I do believe it’s important to remember the good that they did. Milgrim was what I call “good people,” and scholarships that help others walk a similar path — well, I’m all for that.
