June Meeting and Luncheon

This year 28 hopeful scholars applied for the BWA $1000 higher education scholarship. From these 28 applicants, we were able to award ten scholarships because of the generosity which our membership, and in some instances our guests, have so graciously provided.  The process was rigorous, and the application pool was outstanding.

The lowest GPA among the recipients was a 3.85 and the highest was a weighted 4.8.  Two will be attending FAU, one at Florida Polytechnic University, one at FSU, one at McFatter Technical College, two at Nova Southeastern, one at the University of Florida, one at the University of South Florida, and finally one who has been accepted at NSU, FIU and FAU and at the time of the award had not made up her mind.  All of them are degree seeking – six are going for their Bachelors’ degree, one for her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine, one for her Masters’ in Public Administration, one for her Masters’ in Fine Arts and one for her Associate of Science degree in Dental Laboratory Technology.  Two of our previous awardees are continuing their education with the help of our scholarship.

Here is a brief story of just one of successful applicants.  She is in her mid-fifties, was widowed four years ago, and is raising an autistic son on her own.  She received her high school degree through the GED program.  The department at which she worked for nine years was dismantled this year and she lost her source of income.  She decided to return to university for her masters’ degree to increase her value in the job market.  She maintains a 4.0 GPA.  After Hurricane Irma, with the help of family and friends, she put together five large plastic bins filled with feminine products and delivered them to Samuels House in Key West as soon as US 1 re-opened.  In addition, she has volunteered at the Pace Center for Girls, been a member of the Pompano Beach High School Booster Club where she assisted with fundraising efforts and has co-curated a Black History Month art exhibit as well as an LGBTQ+ exhibition. This recipient’s gumption and accomplishments are typical of the women who are receiving the scholarships that BWA awards.

All ten award recipients have been invited to attend our June meeting, where you will be able to meet them personally and hear more about their plans for the future. The Scholarship Committee is proud to present the 2018 Award Recipients to our members. 

Catalina Avalos

Tracy Carroll

Holly Moody

Ivette Sanchez

Barbara Van Voast

Jillian Krueger Printz, Chair  

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