Submitted by Marylou Motto
The Summit College Club (SCC), a branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), awarded $20,000 to five outstanding area high school girls at a reception and program held on June 3, 2018.
The annual celebratory ceremony at Lile Hall of Christ Church in Summit began with two speakers who were helped toward their Ph.D.’s by AAUW fellowships: Lois Rockson, a scientist working in public health, and Tamara Issak, who studies language and discrimination. Also on hand was Meryl Schaffer, a 2017 SCC scholarship recipient, who spoke on some of the surprises of her college freshman year.
Then it was on to the business of the day, this year’s exceedingly impressive award winners:
- From Summit High School, Victoria Harvey, who was awarded the Tilla Thomas Merit Scholarship.Victoria will attend the University of Virginia next year.
- From Millburn High School, Summer Bushman, who won the Kathi C. Madison M.D. Scholarship. Summer plans to attend Emory University next year.
- From Governor Livingston High School, Sarah Lalevee, who was awarded the Mary K. Tennant Scholarship. Sarah will attend Georgetown University next year.
- From Summit High School, Emily Kostolansky, who won a Summit College Club Merit Scholarship. Emily will be a student at Tufts University next fall.
- From Chatham High School, Emily Boyland, who was awarded a Summit College Club Foundation Scholarship. Emily will attend Villanova University next year.
All five young women had outstanding grades, demonstrated leadership abilities, and many sports, service, and social activities to their credit. The SCC Scholarship Committee introduced each girl with enthusiasm, outlining her many accomplishments as she was presented with her scholarship check, certificate, and flowers.
The program concluded with a cornucopia of refreshments and informal conversations between the happy recipients, proud parents, and satisfied SCC members.
Funding for the scholarships comes from the massive, week-long annual used book sale held by SCC each spring. Marilynn MacLean, a Scholarship Committee member, noted that the organization ran its first book sale in 1935! Since then, the club has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to worthy young women in the area.
The Summit College Club is a branch of the American Association for University Women, which promotes equity for all women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Membership is open to all women and men holding the associate degree or higher.
(l-r) Meryl Schaffer (student speaker), Sarah Lalevee, Emily Boyland, Lois Rockson (speaker), Tamara Issak (speaker), Summer Bushman, Victoria Harvey. The fifth recipient, Emily Kostolansky, was unable to attend.
