ABWM Scholarship … Spring 2021

This year has been challenging for everyone, especially college students. Please keep all our students in prayer.

To account for these challenging times for 2020, the scholarship committee made 2 changes to 2020 year’s application process and we will keep these changes for 2021.

• We extended the application deadline from June 1 to July 1.
• This year we required only 2 letters of reference. Not being physically present in school can make it difficult to track down letters of reference.

We received 2 applicants for the 2020-2021 school year. Both were new applicants, a Senior and Freshman. The Senior, Erika, is from near White Plains, NY and is studying Environmental Science at St. John’s University. Erika graduated virtually, please consider sending her a graduation card or a small gift. Erika is planning on attending graduate school to get certified to teach elementary students.

The freshman, Jessica, is from near Syracuse and is attending the University of Alabama @ Huntsville. She majored in Secondary Education specializing in mathematics.

I spoke with Erika and Jessica to ask how the scholarship process was for them. They appreciated the many cards, email, texts, and packages she received during the year. They did not expect to get so many…thank you for showering them with encouragement throughout the year!

One suggestion that they both had was, they would appreciate it if individuals could include an email or text number of where they can send a thank-you note.

I know for many of us, this does not seem like a “proper” way to send a thank you: however, remember that in their busy schedule of trying to balance school, work, and sleep, it may be difficult for them to have envelopes, stamps, etc. Another option may be to include a postage paid self-addressed envelope to make it easier for them to send a note of thanks.

Things you can do for these students: 

• Please continue to send your scholarship girl notes, texts, emails to encourage her during this transitional time and let her know she is not forgotten. 
• Please keep all our students in prayer during this difficult time. Erika will decide where she would like to go to graduate school. Both will search for summer jobs. 

Moving forward, it has been a pleasure serving ABWM-NYS as the scholarship chair for the past 3 years. It was rewarding to get to know each of these dedicated, promising young ladies.

Joyce Barron, the new chair has made integral contributions to the scholarship committee of the past 3 years as well. I know the scholarship program will be in great hands under her direction. I would like to thank Joyce Barron, along with the rest of the committee: Dorene Ingersol, the financial consultant, and Ruby Henry and Joyce Whittaker. We really had little to do, but I appreciated knowing that I had a great group of ladies to step in if needed.

We posted the scholarship application on the website. I will continue to help with the transition to get the latest scholarship information updated to the website.

Please encourage anyone starting or continuing college next year to please apply for a scholarship. We want to bless and encourage as many young ladies as possible we can find the application online https://www.abwm-nys.org/abwm-of-nys-scholarship/

Soon each association representative, and each current scholarship applicant will receive an application emailed to them. If you are unable to get an application through one of these channels, please contact Joyce directly. Applications will be snail mailed only when requested.

Additionally, please make use of the Scholarship Calendar in your local churches and associations. I was very excited when a church reached out and said they had scholarship money to send in. They said they had a lot of fun using the scholarship calendar.

Please donate… Donate… DONATE!!

The scholarship program is funded solely by money received the previous year.

If we receive little…we can bless little, but if we receive greatly…we can bless these young ladies greatly!

Respectfully submitted,

Colleen Charsky