Honoring legacy through education

KALIDA — The community is invited to a fundraising event on Saturday, Aug. 2 at Moose Landing Country Club in Kalida, in support of the Brad Gasser Memorial Scholarship, a dedicated fund to help Burundian scholars pursue higher education. The event will celebrate the life and service of Gasser, an Ottawa native, educator and scholar who passed away last July at the age of 39 after contracting malaria while working abroad. "They always say, be the change you wish to see in the world, and I think Brad did," Gasser's cousin, Michelle Langhals Weadock said. "He knew what he wanted to accomplish and however humble he was, he always found ways to do that." Gasser graduated with honors from Bowling Green State University in 2009 with majors in philosophy and psychology. He went on to receive his doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Southern California. Rather than pursue a traditional career after graduation, Gasser joined the peace corps in 2016 in Cameroon. Later, he became a lead instructor at the Tujenge Africa Foundation in Bujumbura, Burundi, in 2018. Founded in 2015, the Tujenge Africa Foundation works to provide the skills and education for young adults to build peace and leadership in Africa. Its flagship initiative, the Tujenge Scholars Program, is an 18-month academic and leadership preparatory program for high-achieving, low-income Burundian scholars. The program equips the young leaders with college-level reading, writing, math and critical thinking skills while encouraging civic engagement and global awareness. The young scholars also must design and implement a yearlong community service project aimed at creating lasting change in their communities. As the lead STEM instructor for TSP, Gasser taught mathematics and computer science. During his time there, he also designed and implemented an interdisciplinary humanities curriculum incorporating philosophy, world religions, history and artificial intelligence. Under his instruction, Gasser helped dozens of students enroll at top universities in the United States and beyond including Yale, Harvard, Oberlin, Cornell and schools in Canada, Europe, Asia, Kenya and Ghana, Langhals Weadcock said. "He really loved to challenge his students," Gasser's father, Sonny Gasser, said. "He always set the bar very high for them and encouraged them that even if you don't always reach the bar, the process was most important. They grew to respect that and admire that." While many students achieved full scholarships, some were not able to attend university due to financial limitations. Burundi is among the poorest countries in the world, with most families relying on subsistence farming to survive. Gasser's family said he was deeply inspired by the academic excellence of his students, often telling others, "Genius is universal; opportunity is not." Shortly after his passing, family and friends came together and renamed the existing Opportunity Fund in his honor. The Brad Gasser Memorial Scholarship continues to serve young Burundian scholars, providing financial support for tuition, textbooks and in some cases housing. Since his passing, the Brad Gasser Memorial Scholarship has raised over $50,000. "He was taking nothing from this world, he was only giving it," Weadock said. "He was only giving opportunity, care and love. He's left a huge gap, not only there in Burundi, but in his family here." During his memorial service, more than 20 students from across the United States came to speak on Gasser's impact in their lives. His parents said they were moved by the support of his students and the community in continuing his mission. "I told one of the students about eight or nine months ago that I was afraid that Brad's name might be forgotten eventually," Sonny Gasser said. "She reassured me that there is no way. That he had such an impact on those who were taught by him, that they call themselves the 'Little Brads of the World.' How they live their life and exist, they credit him with such a huge impact on that." The fundraising event, "Fore the Love of Learning," will take place at Moose Landing Country Club on Aug. 2. The event will include a golf scramble and a taco bar lunch. While teams for the golf outing are already in place, lunch tickets are still available and cost $25; registration is requested. The afternoon will also include a raffle and silent auction with items such as golf outings, hotels, dinners, wine baskets and more. Proceeds from the event will be put towards the Brad Gasser Memorial Scholarship. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about Gasser's work and hear from some of his past students. "Tujenge is a family and we will forever be a part of that family and they'll forever be part of ours," Gasser's mother, Janice Gasser said. "Brad was always challenging them to try to change the world. I think a lot of these kids are going to be able to improve not only their own lives, but their families and then their extended family, their communities, and hopefully even more."