Alongside his medical career, Dr. Seçkin has embraced many roles: devoted husband to Elif Seçkin, proud father of three, founder, teacher, mentor, and author of The Doctor Will See You Now. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, a symbol of his dedication to service and impact beyond borders. These accomplishments tell the story of a life shaped by empathy, resilience, and a commitment to helping others thrive.

That same spirit carries into his philanthropy. Healing, for Dr. Seçkin, extends far beyond the walls of his practice. It is also about healing communities, lifting people up, creating lasting opportunities, and empowering those who are too often overlooked. His connection to Turkish Philanthropy Funds reflects this vision – to make things better. He has known TPF’s Chairman Emeritus, Haldun Tashman, since his youth. Their friendship and shared values deepened over decades in the United States, where Dr. Seçkin has remained closely tied to the Turkish-American community. He has been part of TPF’s story since its earliest days as a Founders Society member, witnessing its growth from a small circle of friends into a vibrant community of thousands united by compassion and action.

Through his Donor Advised Fund at TPF, Dr. Seçkin champions causes that mirror his personal and professional journey: advancing women’s health, expanding education, and promoting gender equality. Just as he has challenged silence and stigma in medicine, he directs his philanthropy toward breaking barriers, ensuring access, and creating new possibilities for those who might otherwise be left behind. Since joining TPF’s Board in June, he has amplified this impact—bringing the same strategic thinking, compassion, and vision that distinguish his medical career to guide TPF’s future.

For Dr. Seçkin, giving is not separate from his life’s work—it is a continuation of it. His story shows how leadership in one field can resonate far beyond it, inspiring others to take bold steps for change. It reflects a belief that one person’s dedication can ripple outward, improving lives and shaping futures. At its heart, his story reminds us that philanthropy is an expression of who we are and what we believe the world can become.

We are honored to count Dr. Seçkin among our TPF family—not only as a leader in medicine and philanthropy but also as a visionary who reminds us that healing, in all its forms, is one of the most powerful legacies we can create.

Özlenen’s fingerprints have been on TPF since its earliest days. As one of its co-founders, and its founding President and CEO, she brought not only her lifetime of breaking barriers and her sharp strategic mind, but also her conviction that philanthropy is most powerful when it is both personal and collective. Throughout her career spanning four continents, Özlenen had often been the only woman executive in the room—the lone female voice at the table. With determination and vision, she not only earned her seat but also made space for others to follow.

That same pioneering spirit guided her in philanthropy. From the very beginning, Özlenen believed that TPF could be more than just an institution; it could be a platform where personal values and collective action meet. For her, the mission was never simply about giving money. It was about building something enduring—a platform where families and communities could create legacies that would inspire generations.

For Özlenen, that idea of legacy was not theoretical. When she lost her husband Faruk Kalav at a very early age, she established an endowed scholarship in his name at their alma mater Robert College of Istanbul. Back in 1980, it was only the second such gift by alumni. 

This deep and unexpected loss then planted a question she has carried ever since: How do we make sure that who we are, and what we value, continues beyond us?

Breaking barriers as a woman is, in fact, a family legacy. Nearly a century earlier, her mother had been one of the first women educators of the Turkish Republic in the late 1920s. At a time when opportunities for women were scarce, her mother believed passionately in education as a force for progress and equality. She taught not only in classrooms but also through example, showing that women could lead, could inspire, and could help shape the future of a nation.

Losing her mother made Özlenen reflect further on what remains after we are gone—not just wealth or possessions, but values, memory, and the lives we touch. The question became even more urgent last year, when she lost her brother. How could she transform grief into something that would give life to others?  The grief was profound, but it also crystallized her vision: her family’s story could live on, not only in remembrance but in impact.  

Professionally, Özlenen has always been someone who could see possibility where others saw obstacles. Now she turned that same lens inward, asking: How can my family’s story become a source of hope for others?  She imagined a fund that would not only carry her family’s name, Eser, but also carry forward their values—resilience, generosity, education, and opportunity.

Her decision was bold and deeply personal: she chose to make a planned gift of real estate through TPF to establish the Eser Family Fund. She also named TPF as the sole beneficiary of her IRA account, following her brother’s similar gift to MIT.  This was a way of transforming something tangible into something timeless, ensuring that her mother’s pioneering spirit, her brother’s memory, and her own life’s work would all continue to inspire.

For Özlenen, choosing TPF was natural. She had helped build it. She knew its rigor, its transparency, and its commitment to community. But beyond that, she trusted TPF as the place where personal legacy becomes part of something greater. She trusted that her family’s name would be honored not only through careful stewardship but also would grow—adapting to meet the changing needs of the future, creating impact while staying true to the values of the past. 

Yet true to her nature as both a professional leader and a TPF founder, Özlenen’s vision does not stop with her own family. Just as she once imagined what Turks in America could achieve by giving together, she now imagines what could happen if more families embraced legacy giving. Her hope is that her example will encourage others to see philanthropy not as something left behind at the end of life, but as something living. She hopes her story will encourage other families to give boldly, to live their values now, and to weave their names into the fabric of future generations.

“Trust is everything,” Özlenen often says. For her, TPF embodies that trust. Trust that her family’s legacy will live on. Trust that her gift will be used wisely and stewarded with the highest integrity. Trust that her story—her mother’s, her brother’s, her own— will continue to be written, not just on the pages of history, but in the lives of those touched by their generosity.

This Fund is not the end of a story. It is the beginning of a new chapter. A chapter where grief is transformed into giving, where one family’s name becomes a wellspring for many others, and where a legacy of barrier-breaking women continues to open doors for generations to come.

At TPF, we are honored to be part of this journey. The Eser family’s legacy will ripple outward for years to come—proof of what Özlenen herself has always embodied: that when you break barriers, you open doors not only for yourself, but for everyone who follows.

Because legacy is not only about what we leave behind. It is about what we live, and how we inspire others to carry it forward. 

Born in Crimea in 1936, under Soviet rule, he fled with his family at just eight years old. They landed in Germany, where he played soccer barefoot, and later settled in Eskisehir, Turkiye, after World War II. He went to Ataturk Lisesi, and in the early 1960s, followed his older brothers to the United States. Alongside his siblings, he opened an auto repair shop in Brooklyn. With no formal training, he built a life grounded in hard work, persistence, and curiosity. Rasim never stopped moving, never stopped trying.

Family was everything to him. A devoted husband to Nesrin and father to Elmira, Ercüment, and Elif, he worked tirelessly to provide for them. Rasim carried himself with humility and a deep sense of responsibility. He believed in hard work, integrity, and the importance of education, not just as a means of personal success, but as a way to uplift entire families and communities. He loved gardening, sports, and jokes, and even when his health started to fail, he always found a way to laugh, to make you laugh, or simply see the good in a moment.

Education and curiosity were values Rasim and Nesrin carried all their lives. Though neither went to college, they admired learning, encouraged exploration, and constantly looked for ways to help young people pursue their dreams. That spirit became a gift they passed on to their children.

In 2024, just a few months before Rasim passed away, his children—Elmira, Ercument, and Elif—decided to create a memorial scholarship fund in his name. Nesrin was proud that their children were determined to honor him in a way that reflected his values and continued his impact. For the family, the decision was about more than remembrance. It was about transforming memory into action. The Rasim Bayrasli Memorial Scholarship Fund reflects Rasim’s lifelong commitment to opportunity and fairness, serving as a bridge between his values and the future he would have wanted for others.

Creating a memorial fund is a deeply personal act, but at TPF it is also profoundly flexible. Just as every individual’s life is unique, so too are the ways families can choose to honor their loved ones. As Elmira says, “You don’t have to be rich to create a memorial fund. You just need to have the will.” And they did. 

The Bayrasli family chose to support students from Eskişehir, Türkiye, Rasim’s home, helping them pursue higher education anywhere in the country. In its first year, three students received support, and the family is determined to grow the fund so even more young people can follow their dreams.

This scholarship is more than financial assistance. It is about hope. It is about legacy. It is about turning a life built on hard work, family, and belief in education into opportunities for others. Through this fund, Rasim’s family is keeping his spirit alive, honoring his generosity, and giving young people from Eskişehir the chance to dream bigger. Just as he always wanted.

The Bayrasli family’s choice is one example among many, but it speaks to something universal: the desire to keep a loved one’s story alive by continuing their good work. A memorial fund is not only about memory. It is about carrying forward the values that defined a life, transforming grief into growth and legacy into impact.

At TPF, every memorial fund carries a story. Each one is a testament to love and resilience, to values lived and passed on. And together, they form a community of legacies, different in shape, but united in purpose: to make a lasting difference in Türkiye and beyond