Kenan Mujkanovič

Kenan Mujkanovic

Kenan Mujkanovič has lived in Bowling Green his entire life.  When his parents moved to the United States, they worked two jobs each, to which Mujkanovič attributes his work ethic.  While Mujkanovič was still a student of South Warren High School, he decided to start his own non-profit organization, Young Visionaries Foundation, with the dual mission to combat poverty and promote youth education.  Founded in 2014, Young Visionaries Foundation has hosted many events, from Thanksgiving turkey and book giveaways to events that celebrate Earth Day or honor women in our community.  Mujkanovič has received numerous accolades and is the recipient of several awards for his service, including the Jefferson Award and the National Caring Award, which has been awarded to prominent figures such as Muhammad Ali, Dr. Ben Carson, Pope Francis, Former President Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama, and more.  In 2016, Mujkanovič published a book, Voices of Bowling Green: Tales of Young Visionaries, highlighting the stories of several youth in the Bowling Green area.   
Mujkanovič currently attends WKU and hopes to continue his philanthropy and to one day serve the City of Bowling Green and the Commonwealth of Kentucky in a leadership role.  Mujkanovič writes,

“Growing up as a first generation Bosnian American has challenged me in so many different ways. One of the most challenging ways was having to educate myself in many areas, especially learning the English language, then teaching my parents and siblings as well. I remember on my first day of school, I walked in not knowing but a few words of the English language. With that being said, I had to learn almost everything on my own and I would even have to serve as an interpreter for my parents at the age of eight. All in all, growing up with a foot in two worlds has been very challenging, but it developed me into the person and leader I am today.”