Bhim Thapaliya ’15 Presented with Distinguished Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award During Homecoming Celebration

Elizabethtown College recognized alumnus Bhim Thapaliya ’15 with the 2023 Distinguished Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award during the 2023 Homecoming and Family Weekend celebration.

The GOLD Award is presented annually by the Elizabethtown College Alumni Association to a graduate who, within 10 years of graduation, has demonstrated noteworthy and distinctive achievements, strong evidence of effective leadership, and the College’s spirit and legacy of using education as a foundation from which to serve others.

A founder of two nonprofits, Thapaliya’s desire to give back to his community in impactful ways was instilled early in life and continues to drive the meaningful work he carries out today. Raised in Nepal, Thapaliya spent time living in a refugee camp where he became involved with the United Nations’ youth journalism project, telling the stories of his fellow youth and volunteering to help less fortunate families within the camp.

“Elizabethtown College has provided me with an opportunity to continue my passion for helping the underserved population,” Thapaliya said. “Through extracurricular activities at the College, I was able to develop leadership skills, teamwork skills, and a sense of community involvement.”

As an Etown student, Thapaliya filled his time with enriching community service work and was recognized with several awards, including the Legacy Leadership Award and the Entrepreneurship Scholarship.

After graduation, Thapaliya created the nonprofits, the Act for Humanity (AFH) Foundation and the Nepali Spice Company. AFH is an educational nonprofit that partners former refugee youth with both mentors and educators to help them navigate the United States’ educational landscape.

AFH also provides outreach to hundreds of underprivileged students in rural regions of the Himalayas in Nepal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, AFH distributed important supplies and medicine to individuals in Lancaster City in need.

The Nepali Spice Company imports ethically sourced spices grown and harvested by women in Nepal to provide educational access to the women artisans in Nepal. The spices are sold in the U.S. and fund the work of AFH.

Thapaliya continues to serve the surrounding community, which was also a characteristic of his time at Etown. The Nepali Spice Company currently provides free deliveries in Lancaster.

“One of the great things about Etown is that there are so many opportunities to explore new things and find out what you’re passionate about,” Thapaliya said. “I was able to get real-life experiences through different projects, student clubs, and even part-time jobs on campus. I was not only getting opportunities to do things that were significant to my experience or course of study but also through community projects helping needy people.”