Scholarship Teas and Updates on Former Scholarship Winners

The 2023 SCHOLARSHIP TEA will be held on MAY 15, 2023 MONDAY at STOCKTON EDUCATION CENTER AT MORVEN. 3 P.M. – 5 P.M. Poster. 

The 2022 SCHOLARSHIP TEA was held on MAY 16, 2022 at STOCKTON EDUCATION CENTER AT MORVEN. 3 P.M. – 5 P.M. MONDAY. Award Ceremony photos ,   (Flyer_Poster), WCCP Winners 2022_photo collage,  Biographies of the seventeen 2022 scholarship award winners, 2022 Scholarship Committee Annual Report

*** 2022 NEWS FROM A 2012 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

In 2012, I was a scholarship recipient of the Women’s College Club of Princeton. I can vividly recall the beautiful ceremony that was held for all the recipients during my senior year of high school. Being gathered together in one room with the club members and fellow scholars inspired me to accomplish great things in college that I could report back with. Being a scholar recipient held me to a higher standard and made me appreciate education during many walks of life. While I studied business management in college, I was simultaneously fascinated by security issues within the intelligence field. In 2019 I acted upon this interest of mine, which led me to obtaining a master degree in Applied Intelligence & Homeland Security from Georgetown University. I can’t help but thank the members of the Women’s College Club of Princeton for their generosity and encouragement. It’s now going on ten years since I was introduced to this incredible group of women. The inspiration each of them has provided is simply unmatched. Annie Nyce

***Below is a thank-you note from one of our 2021 scholarship winners:

“Sunday, June 20, 2021. To the ladies at The Women’s College Club of Princeton, I would like to say I am so grateful for The Women’s College Club of Princeton, as the scholarship I was presented with really opened up opportunities for me and helped to ease the burden of my first year’s out-of-state tuition at the University of California, Irvine. Thank you so much for your time and consideration, and I really would like to emphasize that without your generous donation it would be even more difficult for me to pursue a higher education. Sincerely, Faith Neo.”

*** FOLLOW-UP ON ONE OF OUR 2017 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS:
Isabel Roemer is now at Georgetown studying Health Management and Policy and is interning with the Peace Corp.  She is enjoying her year in college and is very grateful for the scholarship.

*** 2021 NEWS FROM SIX 2015 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS:

Sabrina Matlock – recipient of a Women’s College Club scholarship. Sabrina attended American University and majored in Law and Society and minored in Spanish. She continued onto law school at Washington and Lee University School of Law where she competed in an external mock trial competition placing third in regional and advancing to the national competition. She presently serves as the president of the Black Law Students’ Association and is competing in both internal and external mock trial competitions. This summer she will be interning for the Department of Justice in the Special Litigation Section Working on civil right litigation.

Iona Binnie – recipient of the Hillier Award. Iona attended Williams College majoring in physics. There she joined the concert and chamber choirs, joined the hand-bell choir, and continued to teach circus using the college’s Free University program to offer a free class to students during the winter study period. After graduation, she went to CU Boulder to begin a PHD program in atomic, molecular, and optical physics. As part of a research group, she began working on developing interestingly structured beams of pulsed extreme ultraviolet light using high-harmonic generation. She is involved with the Graduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics group, as well as the United Campus workers of Colorado Union. Iona is undecided about what to do after graduate school but is considering paths in both industry and academia.

Marta Crespo – recipient of the Molly Updike Award. Marta graduated cum laude from Montclair University. She majored in psychology and minored in education. She presently teaches second grade at Grand Oaks. Marta has decided to go back for a further degree in education leadership at the College of New Jersey.

Jessica Sacco – recipient of a Women’s College Club scholarship. Jessica attended Lehigh University and graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering. She is currently at Penn State working on her PhD in chemical engineering. She is a second-year doctoral candidate and the topic of her research involves studying how tissue mechanics promote breast cancer progression. She is also part of the Graduate Women in Engineering group which works to foster a more equitable environment for underrepresented groups within the College of Engineering as well as organizing outreach activities to encourage young girls to get involved with STEM.

Alana Chmiel – recipient of the Peyton Memorial Award. Alana graduated from Rutgers University School of Nursing and then accepted a nursing position at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. She works on an adult medicine floor with diverse patient populations. She describes nursing as a dynamic field but particularly with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nia Daids – recipient of a Women’s College Club scholarship. Nia graduated from Oberlin College majoring in environmental studies with a public health focus. Not only did she find brilliant and kind mentors there, but she was able to travel abroad for classes and take advantage of multiple internship opportunities. She plans to go back for a second degree and use her environmental studies education to inform a career as a nurse practitioner. Currently she is taking prerequisite classes.

Thanks to Beverly Kestenis for contacting these women. It is heartwarming to know that our scholarships have helped these young women become successful.

*** 2020 News – FROM FORMER 2013 WCCP SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Beverly Kestenis has been keeping in touch with some of the WCCP Scholarship winners and received letters from several of them:
Cindy Guzman graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor degree in Human Resources, minoring in Business Administration.  She is now Associate Management Specialist with a learning and development team to pipeline talent domestically and globally.
Jelani McMath graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor of arts in psychology and minored in care health and society.  She is currently getting her masters degree in counseling psychology at Temple University.
Naiyah Ambros went to Brown University where she majored in Political Science and Modern Culture & Media. She is working in the television/film industry as a Development Assistant at Refinery29, a women’s media company, helping creators produce and sell their shows/films.  She also freelances as a director and producer when she can.
Rebecca Freda majored in International Studies with a minor in Hispanic Studies at Boston College, staying another year to earn a Masters of Science in Accounting.  After graduating, she studied for the Certified Public Accountant exams.  She is now working at Ernst & Young in New York City where she is in the Forensics & Integrity Services division, consulting clients on a wide range of issues.

All of these young women expressed gratitude for the help received from the scholarships given  by the Women’s College Club and gave encouragement to continue our principle objective.

*** NEWS FROM ONE OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Barbara Johnson had an email from Allison Long. She has been in Kenya working as a manager for a DFID-funded Deepening Democracy Programme based in Kenya.  She came to the US in July to adopt a baby in Utah; it will be a little girl called Zola.  There will be further news if the adoption goes through.  She sends love and salutations to all the ladies at WCC.

*** FROM ONE OF OUR 2012 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS:
Annie Nyce studied at Rollins College (Winter Park FL) to work toward a degree in Business Management and had an active career in the college’s many activities.  In her senior year she received a “phenomenal” internship at Morgan Stanley. Upon graduation in 2016, she moved to Charlottesville, VA for a job with Northwestern Mutual.  Realizing a passion for fundraising and development, she moved to Pennington NJ to begin working as Executive Assistant to the Vice President of College Advancement at the College of New Jersey. She offers to help the Women’s College Club, when possible, to show her appreciation for the help received with her award.

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PAST SCHOLARSHIP TEAS – annual committee reports and photos available at hyperlinks below

The 2022 Scholarship Tea. MAY 16, 2022. STOCKTON EDUCATION CENTER AT MORVEN. 3 P.M. – 5 P.M. MONDAY. Award Ceremony photos ,(Flyer_Poster),WCCP Winners 2022_photo collage,  Biographies of the seventeen 2022 scholarship award winners, 2022 Scholarship Committee Annual Report

The 2021 Scholarship Tea. In place of the annual Scholarship Tea, the donors and club membership met with the new 2020-2021 scholarship winners by Zoom, on Monday May 24, 2021, at 1 p.m.   2021 Scholarship Committee Annual Report and Scholarship Winners. Scholarship Committee Chair: Elaine Rafferty.

The 2020 Scholarship Tea that was scheduled to be held at the home of Ginny Mason, Tuesday, May 12, 2020, between 3:00  – 5:00 p.m., was canceled due to the COVID-19 stay-home order.  Instead, Kathy Hutchins, the Club’s President, invited the scholarship recipients to the June 2, 2020 Board Meeting (by ZOOM) to introduce them and have them say a few words. Nora Ananos, the Club’s official photographer, created two picture collages of the winners and donors in a way to capture the excitement and importance of what we do. 2020 Scholarship Committee Annual Report and Scholarship Winners. Scholarship Committee Chair: Elaine Rafferty.

The 2019 Scholarship Tea was held at the home of Ginny Mason, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, between 3:00  – 5:00 p.m.  (Photos by Nora Ananos)
Club members attended and enjoyed meeting the recipients of the scholarship awards, their parents and advisers; light refreshments were provided by the Board Members. Marlene Gordon and Alyce Conlon organized the tea, with Danuta Buzdygan-Stys as consultant. TownTopics2019WCCPScholarshipWinners, June 5, 2019. The 2019 Scholarship Committee members were Marlene Gordon and Alyce Conlon (Chairs), Elaine Rafferty, and Marilyn Shteir.
AWARD RECIPIENTS     2019
THE FLORENCE BELL HILLIER PRIZE – Zoe Jackson
PETERSON BOOK  AWARD/WOMEN’S COLLEGE CLUB SCHOLARSHIP – Katherine Chuei
MOLLY UPDIKE AWARD –  Salma Hashem 
RAMONA SEGREST PEYTON AWARD –  Adrienne Wang
LUNA KAYSER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP –  Fable Young-Shor
MARJORY WHITE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP – Oona DiMatteo
THE WOMEN’S COLLEGE CLUB OF PRINCETON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD – given to each of the following girls: Jada Jones, Richayla Smith, Marilena Cordon-Maryland, Shreya Kota, and Ayva O’Kane.

The 2018 Scholarship Tea was held at the home of Ginny Mason, Tuesday, May 15, 2018, between 3:00  – 5:00 p.m.  Scholarship Chair: Beverly Kestenis. (Photos by Nora Ananos)
Attended by members who enjoyed meeting the recipients of the scholarship awards, their parents and advisers; light refreshments were provided by the Board.
AWARD RECIPIENTS     2018
THE FLORENCE BELL HILLIER PRIZE – Leah Williamson
PETERSON BOOK  AWARD/WOMEN’S COLLEGE CLUB SCHOLARSHIP – Nayha Zahid
MOLLY UPDIKE AWARD –   Alexa Almodovar
RAMONA SEGREST PEYTON AWARD –  Jenna Venturi
LUNA KAYSER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP – Fedlyne Cleophat
MARJORY WHITE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP – Eliz Dikener
THE WOMEN’S COLLEGE CLUB OF PRINCETON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD   given to each of the following girls: Thara Ahmed-Sule, Kayla Bland, Savannah Green, Rebecca Kuzmicz, Mary Mena, Denay Smith.

2017 SCHOLARSHIP TEA was held at the home of Ginny Mason on May 23, 2017, between 3 – 5 P.M., organized by BEVERLY KESTENIS. (Click to see Annual Committee Report and photos).

2016 SCHOLARSHIP TEA  was hosted by Ginny Mason on Tuesday, May 24 between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., organized by Beverly Kestenis. Click the links to read news articles published in Town Topics, and The Princeton Sun, and the list of awardees published in Town Topics, and The Princeton Sun. (click to see Annual Committee Report and photos)

2015 SCHOLARSHIP TEA was held at the home of Ginny Mason on May 20, 2015, between 3 – 5 in the afternoon, organized by Danuta Buzdygan-Stys.

2014 SCHOLARSHIP TEA was held on May 21, 2014, Wednesday, from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Ginny Mason’s home, organized by Danuta Buzdygan-Stys.

2013 SCHOLARSHIP TEA. This annual event was held on May 16, 2013 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Virginia Mason had again invited The Women’s College Club of Princeton to use her spacious and beautiful home as the venue to award scholarships to young women graduating from area secondary schools.  The Board provided refreshments during a social time after the ceremony so that we had an opportunity to meet the winners and their parents.  All College Club members were invited to attend. Scholarship Committee Chair: Kathleen Hutchins.

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For more detailed information on upcoming events, refer to the Monthly Newsletter under News.

The Princeton Sun_2016ScholarshipAwardJun1onlineArticle