Anuk as an infant wearing his father Ganege’s maroon U.S. Army beret.

Anuk Dayaprema ’21 and Malcolm (“Mal”) Crawford ’52 will never meet, but they share a powerful Duke connection. 

Mal enrolled at Duke University in 1948. His Duke education enriched the rest of his life and was foundational to a successful career. A loyal and generous Duke supporter, Mal established the Malcolm F. Crawford Scholarship Endowment in 2002 to support Duke students with financial need. Over the years, Mal also named this endowment as a beneficiary of his estate and life income gifts.

Anuk, the son of Sri Lankan immigrants, is the first person in his family to attend college. His parents, Ganege and Renuka, emigrated from Sri Lanka to California in 1996, seeking a brighter future. They enlisted in the U.S. Army and later became U.S. citizens.

Ganege and his son Anuk training for long-distance running.

In 2017, the Dayapremas’ dream was realized when Anuk was accepted to Duke University and awarded the Malcolm F. Crawford Endowed Scholarship. As he nears the end of his freshman year, Anuk understands the value of his educational opportunities and is grateful for Mal’s gift of financial aid as it paves a path for his own bright future.

To make a gift or learn more about how you can help support future Duke students, please contact our Office of Gift Planning.

About the author

Brandy Chieco

brandolyn.chieco@duke.edu

Brandy oversees marketing and communications, events and special initiatives for the Office of Gift Planning. She works closely with donors who are featured in Duke Magazine, the Blueprints blog and other publications. She also works closely with development teams, schools and alumni volunteers as part of our comprehensive reunion efforts. Prior to joining the team, Brandy worked in marketing, human resources and banking. She received her B.A. degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. When she is not in the office, Brandy enjoys local theatre, exploring the diverse Durham food scene and spending quality time with her husband and son.