News

Minerva Scholarships awarded to 10 local women

The Minerva Scholarship Fund awarded $55,000 in scholarships to 10 Gig Harbor-area women for the 2022-23 academic year.

Since its founding in 1991, Minerva has now awarded $504,300 in scholarships, according to information provided by the fund.

Minerva Scholarships are available to women who live or work inside Peninsula School District boundaries and whose post-secondary education was interrupted for at least one year. Three members of the Gig Harbor Branch of the American Association of University Women founded the fund in 1991. The first scholarship awards were in 1993.

“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,” Minerva Fund Vice President Julie Buffington said.

Scholarships are available to women pursuing a vocational program at a technical college, a two-year degree from a community college, a four-year college degree or a post-graduate degree. Previous recipients have encompassed a broad range of fields including medicine, environmental science, criminal justice, gerontology, truck driving, social work, cosmetology, and education.

Returning scholars

• Gail Henricksen is working toward a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northcentral University in San Diego.
• Kristin Mauldin is working toward a bachelor’s degree with dual licensure in Special Education and Elementary Education at Western Governors University.
• Delfina White is working toward a master’s degree and a teaching certificate in elementary education at WGU. She recently qualified for Kappa Delta Pi Educational Society.
• Sarah Whitmarsh is studying environmental gerontology at the University of Nebraska. She plans to earn a master of arts in social gerontology and a graduate certificate in gerontology with a minor in interior design. This certificate focuses on the importance of environmental design in a retirement community.
• Tarra Winslow recently completed an associate degree in fine arts, specializing in piano performance, at Tacoma Community College. Next, she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in performance and master of arts in pedagogy at Pacific Lutheran University.

New scholarship recipients

• Kayla Frank is working toward a master of science, curriculum, and instruction degree at WGU.
• Wendy Holt studies history at Tacoma Community College.
• Sandy Kelley aims to obtain a certification in human resources management at the University of Washington-Tacoma.
• Megan Oberstar is studying for her nursing bachelor’s degree at Indiana State University. Her goal is to become a pediatric trauma transport flight nurse.
• Carli Speer is taking courses at Arizona State University to become a board-certified behavior analyst.

The Minerva Scholarship is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and donations are tax deductible. For information visit the fund’s website or email [email protected].