ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—The Woman’s Club of Englewood awarded $28,250 worth of scholarships to 13 bright and talented young women on Jan. 3.
This philanthropic organization has been awarding scholarships for 14 years, and recipients are selected by members of the club’s Education Committee, headed by Elizabeth Whitney and Philanthropy Committee Chair Nancy Ferer.
The Scholarship Committee receives an average of 20 applications a year and select recipients based on the student’s GPA (3.0 or higher), extracurricular activities and their performance during an interview.
“I am impressed and proud of all of our scholarship recipients,” said Whitney. “These promising young ladies have a bright future. They are taking positive actions to reap the benefits they desire. They realize not to see things as they are…but as they should be with them in the picture.”
The reception was an elegant luncheon event attended by eight of the scholars and their families, along with several scholarship sponsors. The scholars who were unable to attend were out of town either on a travel program or back in school. But, each of them sent a heartfelt thank you speech that was read by Whitney.
The featured speaker was United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Judge Sandra Robinson.
The program was opened with a welcome by President Susan Eastham, introductions by Club Chair of Public Issues Aleta Frezzell and remarks from Marie Sullivan, state federation Palisades District vice president.
Beverly Rhinehart, the local club’s vice president, gave a short history of club, which dates back to 1895.
Ferer then introduced the donors and mentioned that the club always needs more scholarship sponsors.
All of the scholars present were bright and articulate, as they spoke about their respective colleges and the high-level academic and career paths that they were following—from orthopedic surgery, nursing and sports medicine, to psychology, biology and chemistry. They all voiced their appreciation to their scholarship donors and the club for having been given this financial boost.
Robinson gave a compelling presentation in which she recounted her career challenges and offered many pieces of advice to the young women of today.
Robinson told the scholars that important steps to take in order to overcome obstacles include: finding a role model or mentor; acknowledging pleasure and disappointment in one’s chosen field of studies and employment; not being afraid to ask for help, including financial aid; and staying physically fit and nutritionally healthy.
She told the scholars that if they do not like what they are doing, they probably will not succeed. She told them to not be afraid to make changes, or even consider finding a different career path. She also urged the young women to stay up to date on important social, political and financial matters by reading newspapers, using social media and even watching television.
“You have to know what’s going on because you have to be in it!”
Further, Robinson said that if the women were harassed, or had their civil rights violated in the workplace, they should get an excellent attorney. She said they should achieve confidence in having a strong knowledge base, having self-control and paying attention to their appearance.
“What you do on campus and in your public life matters,” she said, adding that the best way to deal with obstacles is to meet them head on. “It is important to know where you came from and know where you are, balancing your strengths and weaknesses.”
State Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle also delivered an inspirational speech.
“We are here today because of the mission and purpose of the Woman’s Club of Englewood, the same mission which guides me through my work in the legislature—bringing women together to provide opportunities for opportunity,” said Huttle. “Every year, the Woman’s Club of Englewood provides life-changing, career-boosting scholarships to women in our community who have shown that they have the talent and potential to succeed. I believe that this event is special not only because of the investment that the Woman’s Club is making in these women, but because of the countless ways in which our community will be benefited from the return on this investment.”
Mayor Michael Wildes also delivered an uplifting pronouncement.
“Your mettle will be tested. There will be obstacles in front of you, not just the challenges you take, but also the silences and challenges that you don’t take,” he said. “In a world where, in recent days, we saw hate on the front pages of every newspaper, where we see our nation facing extraordinary challenges, it is essential that we set the stage for the next theater. You are our future, and it is important that you not only go forward, but make sure that you pay it forward to the next generation and never forget who brought you here.”
Wildes then gave each scholar a certificate of honor from the City of Englewood and a personal gift of a custom engraved pen, and Huttle presented each scholar with a New Jersey State Legislature citation, on behalf of herself, state Sen. Loretta Weinberg and state Assemblyman Gordon Johnson.
After the presentations, everyone enjoyed a performance of classical music by 10-year-old cello virtuoso Aurelia Faidley-Solars, and a delicious lunch buffet was served.
As a grand finale to the reception, everyone was invited to the buffet lunch with tasty sandwiches and homemade desserts.
The 2019-2020 scholars are: Christie Aubourg, Yume Murphy, Gabrielle Rodriguez, Sydney Elise Morris, Raven Nicole Cureton, Shaina Lacap, Imani Williams, Debbie Adam, Virginia Ingram, Brenda Torres, Hyunah Kim, Theresa Lee, and Rishann Grant.\
