Community Education
Minerva Scholarship Fund accepting applications
The Minerva Scholarship Fund is accepting applications for the 2023-24 academic year.
Community Sponsor
Community stories are made possible in part by Peninsula Light Co, a proud sponsor of Gig Harbor Now.
Women who live or work within the boundaries of the Peninsula School District and have experienced at least a one-year interruption in their education are eligible. The application deadline is April 15, 2023. For information on how to apply, visit the fund’s website.
Three members of the Gig Harbor branch of the American Association of University Women established Minerva in 1991. The first scholarship was awarded in 1993. Since then 210 women have benefited from Minerva scholarships.
The fund has awarded $504,300 in scholarships in its 30-year history. Last year, 10 Gig Harbor-area women earned $55,000 in scholarships.
“The founders of Minerva recognized the impact education had on their own lives and careers and wanted to empower other women to achieve their maximum potential,” said scholarship chair Pat Berger.
Scholarship recipients may pursue degrees or certifications at community and technical colleges, universities, or other accredited institutions. Individuals have pursued a broad range of careers including including medicine, environmental science, criminal justice, gerontology, truck driving, social work, cosmetology, and education.
Current recipients successfully progressing toward their degrees and certifications can re-apply for continuing scholarship assistance.
Feedback from past scholarship recipients has affirmed the vision of Minerva’s founders and attests to the life-changing benefits of the scholarship program, Ms. Berger noted. Scholarship recipient, Ms. Tabatha Hoffman, who completed an Associate of Arts degree in Nursing in 2022, expressed her gratitude stating that the Minerva Scholarship and my nursing degree go hand in hand. “Minerva helped me fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse,” she related.
Minerva is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. Minerva is also a registered charity with the state of Washington.
From left, 2022 Minerva Scholars Sarah Whitmarsh, Delfina White, Sandy Kelley, Gail Henricksen and Megan Oberstar. Not pictured: Wendy Holt, Kristin Mauldin, Carli Speer, Tarra Winslow.