Wichita Southeast High School graduate Ronal Bhagat returned to his alma mater on March 6 with a surprise — and a $50,000 investment in a student’s future.  

Southeast senior Natalia Malcolm learned in front of her classmates that she will receive the four-year scholarship to attend Wichita State University beginning this fall.   

Bhagat, managing director of Trez Capital in New York City, announced Malcolm as the first recipient of the Bhagat Family Foundation – Wichita Southeast High School Overcoming Adversity Scholarship during a school assembly.  

The scholarship, valued at $50,000 over four years, supports an incoming full-time freshman from Southeast. Bhagat said Wichita shaped his path and inspired him to create an opportunity for the next generation.  

“Wichita is my hometown. I spent 14 fantastic years there,” Bhagat said. “Wichita was a great place to grow up and gave me a solid foundation for my future studies and success. I have always valued a quality education and wanted to offer a talented student from my alma mater the same opportunity to get a quality education, because it can lead to better economic outcomes, intellectual development and personal growth.”  

Applicants were asked to demonstrate they had faced significant challenges or adversity. Financial need was a key factor, with preference for a first-generation college student. A five-member committee made up of Southeast and Wichita State administrators reviewed applications, conducted interviews and selected the recipient.  

For Bhagat, Malcolm stood out for her resilience.  

“It’s very clear that the challenges she’s encountered in the past don’t define her and will not prevent her from pursuing her goals and dreams,” he said. “She has a mindset that there are lessons to be learned, even in negative situations. For a high school student to have this attitude is remarkable.”  

Malcolm plans to study psychology or social work at Wichita State. She hopes to work with children who feel overlooked or unsupported. In her application and interview, she spoke about overcoming depression, family challenges and about her desire to turn those experiences into a source of strength for others.  

At Southeast, Malcolm has been active in art — especially pottery — and played on the school’s tennis team. Teachers describe her as a steady source of positivity.  

“Natalia is always positive in class,” said teacher Angela Kimball. “She will go out of her way to participate in class discussions and assist other students when they need help. Her positive attitude is contagious. She is a diligent worker and stays up to date with all of her classwork. Her presence in class lends joy to my day.”  

Alyssa Lawless, who has known Malcolm since her freshman year, echoed that sentiment.  

“She has a smile that lights up a room, and she gets everyone else smiling,” Lawless said. 

Born in Philadelphia, Bhagat moved to Wichita at age 4 and graduated from Southeast in 1992. He built a career in real estate finance in New York and now lives in New York City with his wife and daughter.  

He said the scholarship was designed with a specific purpose.  

“I wanted the scholarship to be awarded to a student for whom it would make the most impact,” Bhagat said. “The focus was on identifying a smart, ambitious student for whom college may otherwise be financially unfeasible.”  

The initial scholarship is funded by Bhagat and his wife. He has since raised additional support from Southeast alumni, friends and Wichita community members, securing funding for a second $50,000 scholarship to be awarded next year under the same criteria.  

“The goal is to make this an annual scholarship,” Bhagat said. “I hope this inspires more students to apply next year and encourages Southeast alumni and supporters to contribute so we can keep this going year after year.”  

Wichita State will administer the scholarship and support the recipient throughout her college career. Bhagat said partnering with the university was a natural choice.  

“I know that Wichita State is a pillar of the community and offers a high-quality education with fantastic opportunities after graduation,” he said. “They offered tremendous assistance in putting this scholarship together and will support the recipient over the next four years to help her achieve her full potential.”  

Beyond selecting a single recipient, the program will extend its impact to other promising students. The seven remaining finalists will each receive a $6,000 scholarship from Wichita State University. They are Isabella Bahr, Nhan Do, Aspen Estell, Paola Galicia, Vi Phan, Christina Sayana and Kaitlin Schultz. 

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 25,000 students between its main campus and the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech), including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student-centered and innovation-driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry- and defense-funded engineering R&D and No. 9 overall for engineering R&D.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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