The Rizvi family’s belief in the power of education runs deep — and spans generations.
Teri Rizvi, her two sons and her mother all graduated from Butler High School, representing three generations of Vandalia-Butler alumni. Education has always been central to their story: together, the Rizvis hold five degrees from the University of Dayton.
Now, Zafar and Teri Rizvi are giving back by creating educational opportunities for others. They have established The Rizvi Family Scholarship to support graduating seniors from Butler High School who wish to earn a college degree but need financial help to pursue their dreams.
“Transforming even one child’s life for the better can uplift generations to come. The teachers and mentors — the true unsung heroes — are in the noble business of changing lives, one student at a time,” said Zafar Rizvi, CEO of Rex American Resources. “If the Rizvi Family Scholarship Fund can help create stories of success and hope, it will be the most meaningful investment our family could ever make.”
The inaugural renewable scholarship will be awarded to a member of the Class of 2026. While the scholarship is open to students attending a two-year or four-year college, university or technical school, preference will be given to students enrolling at the University of Dayton who are first-generation college students.
The Rizvi family’s connection to UD is personal and longstanding. Together, Teri, their two sons and daughter-in-law have earned undergraduate degrees spanning pre-physical therapy, dietetics and human rights and graduate degrees in English and physical therapy. For 38 years, she has worked at UD in various communication and marketing roles, including directing the office of the university’s communications for nearly 25 years and founding the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop.
“I’m a first-generation college graduate, and my education has opened doors to so much in my life,” she said. “We hope these scholarships will help students imagine what is possible and pursue their passions.”
In 2025, the Vandalia-Butler Foundation, a component fund of The Dayton Foundation, awarded $65,375 in scholarships to 35 outstanding graduating seniors from Butler High School. Interested students apply in the winter through a process coordinated by the Vandalia-Butler Foundation’s Education Fund Advisory Committee, guidance counselors and The Dayton Foundation. Recipients are honored at Senior Awards Night in the spring.
For more information about how to start a scholarship fund, send an email to info@vandalia-butlerfoundation.org or call Michelle Brown, director of scholarship services for The Dayton Foundation, at (937) 225-9965.