Koksal Education Foundation

38. öksal Education Foundation was officially established on November 23, 1992, by our late Founder and Honorary Chairman of Pet Holding, Prof. Dr. Güntekin Köksal. The foundation was born out of a noble mission: to provide educational scholarships to high-achieving university students facing financial hardships, empowering them to complete their higher education. The late Vice Chairwoman of Pet Holding, Pınar Köksal, was also a founding pillar of the Foundation and dedicatedly served as the Chairwoman of the Foundation for 22 years.

Since its establishment, KEV has granted academic bursaries and book donations to more than a thousand students, while extending vital social assistance to thousands more. During its first 22 years, the foundation operated on a reciprocal (repayable) scholarship model, successfully sustaining its noble cause through a combination of corporate contributions from Pet Holding, the generosity of dedicated volunteers, and the repayments made by successful graduates.

In 2016, Zeynep Köksal Yaykıran assumed the leadership from Pınar Köksal as the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, transitioning the Foundation’s model to offer non-refundable (grant-based) scholarships to university students. From its founding day to the present, the alumni network has produced outstanding engineers, lawyers, corporate executives, judges, medical doctors, and entrepreneurs. Today, our graduates continue to work in highly prestigious positions across a diverse array of successful corporations and industries throughout Turkey and across the globe.

WHAT KEV HAS ACCOMPLISHED IN 33 YEARS

• 33 Years of Empowering Education: Over the past 33 years, through the unwavering support of the Köksal Family, Pet Holding, our corporate subsidiaries, and thousands of generous donors, KEV has provided non-refundable higher education scholarships to nearly 1,000 university students from highly diverse academic disciplines, and we proudly continue this support today.
• The “Student Guardian” Program (Since 2016): Launched in 2016, our signature Student Guardian Program has successfully secured full educational scholarships for nearly 80 university students solely through structured individual donations.
• Global Exposure through the Erasmus Initiative (Since 2016): To foster international experience and global citizenship among our youth, we have actively encouraged our scholars to study abroad via the Erasmus program since 2016. In this context, we have supported nearly 20 students by providing a €200 monthly stipend throughout their overseas education.
• The Chamber of Petroleum Engineers Special Scholarship (Since 2023): Under a formal protocol signed with the Chamber of Petroleum Engineers in 2023, we established the CPE Special Scholarship. Through this initiative, we have provided tailored academic bursaries to a total of 39 students pursuing degrees in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.
• Widespread Educational Material Support: Throughout our history, we have distributed books and various forms of vital educational and social assistance to thousands of students in need.
• English Language Education Bursaries (Since 2016): Believing that global communication is key to professional success, we have enriched the academic development of 75 of our scholars by granting specialized English Language Education Scholarships since 2016.
• Holistic Cultural & Artistic Growth (Since 2016): Looking beyond mere financial aid, we focus heavily on the cultural and artistic development of our students. Since 2016, we have procured and distributed more than 1,500 complimentary tickets to various high-profile cultural, artistic, and theatrical events.
• Annual Empowerment Seminars: To actively contribute to the personal and professional advancement of our scholars, our foundation designs and hosts at least two comprehensive educational training seminars each year on diverse, contemporary topics.
• The Traditional “Graduation High Tea”: Over the past four years, we have institutionalized our annual Graduation High Tea events. These gatherings allow us to reconnect with our recent graduates, listen to their career aspirations, and discuss meaningful avenues through which we can continue to support their professional journeys.
• A Hub for the Arts for Over Three Decades: For 33 years, our foundation’s headquarters has served as a cultural sanctuary, hosting more than 50 major organizations, including art exhibitions and classical concerts, designed to support emerging artists and inspire our students.
• Establishing School Libraries: Through targeted book donation campaigns and the dedicated contributions of the “Friends of The Foundation” network, we have fully equipped and established comprehensive libraries for 4 schools across Turkey.
• Philanthropic Charity Runs (Over the Last 6 Years): Celebrating six years of active participation in prominent charity races, 175 dedicated individual fundraisers have launched campaigns on behalf of our foundation. Backed by the generosity of more than 5,500 independent donors, these athletic campaigns have successfully generated vital funding for our higher education scholarship pool.