Three area women received college scholarships from AAUW West Chester - Chester County as part of the branch's support of nontraditional woman students whose education has been interrupted due to family obligations, employment or lack of funding. In addition to the annual Alice Lawson Scholarship, providing a $1,500 award, the branch added two Pandemic Relief Scholarships of $1,400 each this year.
The Alice Lawson Scholarship winner is Jaleesa Washington of Downingtown. Washington, the mother of an 11-year-old daughter, completed an Associate of Science in business management at Harcum College, with honors, in May 2020. She is currently enrolled in a business administration program at Bloomsburg University, with plans to continue at Temple University for a master's degree. Washington has a goal of owning her own food business, which she has already named Ja's Kitchen.
The winners of the Pandemic Relief Scholarships are Katelyn Hollis of Malvern and Nichole Carter of Phoenixville. Funds for these two one-time scholarships were donated by AAUW members in response to the economic challenges created by the pandemic for nontraditional woman students.
Hollis earned a bachelor's degree in education from Ohio University in 2011. After working in education, she decided to step away from the field and moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where she became the director of an orphanage and a house mother for children living there. She is currently enrolled at Immaculata College in the College of Adult Professional Studies, with a goal of achieving a Bachelor of Science in nutrition/dietetics.
Carter is enrolled at the University of Valley Forge, majoring in early childhood education. She has been engaged in this field for more than 20 years, earning an associate degree in 2015. She is currently working on a bachelor's degree at Valley Forge. Carter works as lead infant/toddler teacher at Mom's House of Greater Philadelphia in Phoenixville and hopes to continue working with children after graduation.
The scholarship winners were introduced at AAUW's annual May Banquet, which was held on May 12 at Thornbury Farm.
Michelle Venema, CEO of Home of the Sparrow, winner of AAUW's annual Gateway to Equity Award, was also introduced at the banquet, and shared information about the nonprofit's work assisting women and children in finding stable housing and avoiding homelessness. The Gateway to Equity Award honors an organization that has shown by action and philosophy the promotion of the AAUW mission to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.
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