AAUW Wooster Branch Announces Scholarship Recipients

  • By: Karen Skubik
  • July 23, 2014
  • 450
                        
The tradition of turning the profits from the sale of used books into college scholarships continues as the Wooster Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) announces the names of five women receiving this year’s awards. Last fall AAUW combined forces with the Wooster Kiwanis group at the Wayne County Fairgrounds and sold $15,000 worth of used books. The two service organizations allocated one-third of the sales towards helping Wayne County women who fall into the category of non-traditional student enrolled in a qualified associate or bachelor degree program. Prue Holtman, AAUW scholarship chair, explained, “The women were chosen by a committee of three” after submitting applications by the May 1 annual due date. Brittany Bullard, Leigh Ann Sterner, and Jennifer Warden all of Wooster, as well as Rhonda Donda and Kelly Williams of Orrville are the 2014 recipients. The funds they receive, administred through the Wayne County Community Foundation, can be applied towards tuition or book expenses. Holtman said they were chosen to receive this year’s awards because, “they all show determination to continue their education and complete a degree”. Jen Warden serves as a good example of a typical scholarship recipient. Warden explained, “I graduated high school at the age of 17 and, while I felt ready to move away from home and go to college, I was certainly not prepared for the amount of focus and dedication required and my grades showed it.” After missing a financial aid deadline and finding out she wasn’t technically enrolled for her sophomore year, Warden took the rest of the year off, found a job, met her future husband and said, “(I) eventually realized that continuing my education would have to stay on the back burner”. Currently working as manager of Spoon Market and Deli, Warden feels her Business Management major at The University of Akron, Wayne College will help her be more effective which will in turn help Spoon’s business. Although Warden and her husband both work full-time, she explained, “With a mortgage, car payment, and all of the other expenses of life, paying for a college education on our income is not easy. The AAUW scholarship will help me cover the cost of textbooks for several classes.” In addition, “This degree will afford me a great deal of flexibility in the future.” Both Leigh Ann Sterner and Kelly Williams are pursuing their nursing degrees at Malone University and Kent State University respectively with AAUW’s help. Currently working as a LPN, Williams shared, “I started my education a while ago and decided it was time to go back.” With a 17 month-old son, Williams acknowledged the support she receives from her parents, husband, and in-laws is invaluable. They all help her work towards a goal of obtaining her Associate Degree of Nursing. The AAUW Scholarship will also be a “huge help”, according to Williams who plans to use the award to pay for books with any leftover money going towards tuition. The cycle of used books to scholarships to college books will continue as AAUW and Kiwanis plan to old their annual sale Sept. 24 through Sept. 27, 2014 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds, Flower Building.


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