Scholarships
Rüştü Tüfekçi Scholarship
Tufekci Law Firm is running a scholarship programme in memory of Mr Rüştü Tüfekçi who passed away on 20 March 2008. Mr Rüştü Tüfekçi (as he was called “Baba Rüştü” -in English, Father Rustu– amongst his peers in Rize/Turkey) was an electrical engineer studied at Kabatas High School, continued Istanbul Technical University and graduated from State Academy of Architechure and Engineering (Devlet Mühendislik Mimarlık Akademisi).He worked for Caykur (which is a state owned tea producer) entire his business career until his retirement in 2003. He served as a representative of Turkish Wrestling Federation in Rize as well as was a member (reg.no. 4527) of Electrical Engineers Chamber for 36 years.
Among his professional background, he also served with several positions at Caykurspor then and CaykurRizespor which is a Super League team in Turkey.
The Rüştü Tüfekçi family, namely wife Mrs Nedret Tüfekçi, daughter Mrs Merve Semiz, son Mr Mehmet Hakan Tüfekçi and daughter-in-law Mrs Nebibe Doğanışık Tüfekçi decided to survive his name with a scholarship as Mr Rüştü Tüfekçi considered the students the real value and the future of Turkish nation.
The scholarship programme is open for 7 students every educational year. The applications are to be sent to info@tufekcilaw.com. Mr.Mehmet Hakan Tüfekçi of the Tüfekçi Family personally deals with the scholarships.
İlker Dibekoğlu Scholarship
Ilker Dibekoglu was born in Rotterdam in The Netherlands in 1978. He died in 2021 after a 3 year battle against colon cancer at the age of 43.
Ilkers parents came as guest workers in the early 70 years from Izmir in search of a better future. His dad worked as a welder for many years. Working hard to create your opportunities was a mentality he got from home at a young age. He started working when he was 15 years old at a garden center. He had various side jobs next to his school. Even on his summer holidays in Turkey he liked to work so he got a job a beach sports rental place in Marmaris, combining fun and work.
Ilker always wanted to be an entrepreneur so he graduated from the Small Business study at the Hogeschool Rotterdam and started his own company when he was still studying. He was an agent for Kutahya porcelain and Lamp 83. He did this for a couple of years. And after this he worked for the coca cola company. When his dad died at a young age he was reminded of life and its fleetingness. So he made the decision to follow his dreams and work where he was happiest and that was under the sun. He moved to the South of Spain and worked there as a real estate agent for a couple of years.
The company that he worked for in wanted to open an office in Turkey, he seized this opportunity and move to Bodrum to run this office. He did this for 6 years until the recession in 2010. He then received an offer from a client to work as a bunker oil trader in Holland. So after a 10 month training program in the UK he moved back to his home town Rotterdam and was successful at his new job until the head office suggested to open an office in Istanbul. Again he accepted this challenge and moved with his wife and 2 daughters to Istanbul and progressed in the marine oil industry. Like a true entrepreneur he was always full of business ideas and real estate intitiaves, that he would work on next to his full time job.
Wherever he worked and lived he made solid friendships and business partners and he was loved greatly. He was a social character and had a Dutch no nonsense mentality. This made him successful in Turkey. Ilker was a true connector, he loved bringing people together for a business brunch, boat trip or a game of backgammon. He always wanted to get the best out of himself and others and create a pleasant working environment.
The scholarship programme is open for 2 students every educational year. The applications are to be sent to info@tufekcilaw.com. Mr.Mehmet Hakan Tüfekçi who had the privilege to know and be a friend of him.