PORT TOWNSEND — Thirty-two young women from East Jefferson County will receive scholarships and awards totaling $55,000 from AAUW Port Townsend and its affiliate, the University Women’s Foundation of Jefferson County.
The award-winning scholars — including university, college, high school and middle school students — were announced during the May 13 meeting of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and University Women’s Foundation of Jefferson County (UWF).
“Our members and the community have come together to raise an unprecedented level of funding for these scholarships,” said Celia Fry, UWF vice president of scholarships. “We are so pleased to assist these talented young women as they continue their education.”
Vy Nguyen received the Elmira K. Beyer Endowed Scholarship in the amount of $11,000.
The Beyer award is given on the basis of academic performance, financial need and educational and professional goals.
After receiving a bachelor’s in global studies/human rights from the University of Washington Tacoma, Nguyen is now working toward her Juris Doctor at Seattle University School of Law.
Her law school studies have led to her involvement with the Immigrant Families Advocacy Project as well as the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
Nguyen is a student representative to the executive board of the Washington State Bar Association’s Juvenile Law Section, and she is also a research assistant to Justice Mary Yu, supporting her work on the ABA Juvenile Justice Task Force.
An Academic Endowed Scholarship in the amount of $8,500 was awarded to Emily Kunz, who is working toward a doctorate in osteopathic medicine at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima.
She obtained a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology/chemistry from Western Washington University.
This summer, Kunz will begin clinical rotations in Skagit County clinics and hospitals, to be followed by a family medicine residency, and additional training and certification in either obstetrics or sports medicine.
The $2,600 Lisa T. Painter Scholarship for the study of law, health care or fine arts was given to Kim Thacker.
Thacker is completing a master’s degree in nursing education online at Western Governors University while working as a charge nurse in labor and delivery at Harrison Medical Center in Silverdale. Her goal is to teach obstetrics and the advanced care of obstetric patients.
Samantha Rae and Rian Plastow won environmental scholarships in the amounts of $3,000 each. These awards are offered to students studying environmental science with an interest in climate change.
Additional college-level scholarships were given to Julie Cummings, Maren Johnson, Hannah Welch, Zoe Ballering, Emily Noelle Amos, Olivia Ejde and Samantha Smith.
Three students graduating from local high schools — AElfhild Wiklund of Chimacum, Kaya Wiant of Port Townsend and Bailey Kieffer of Quilcene — were each awarded $3,000 toward their full-time university studies.
Nine high school students who excel in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects were nominated by teachers to receive STEM awards.
These students are Helena Stafford, Kyama Bradley and Cassandra Rowland of Port Townsend High; Sydney Brown, Abbygael Weller and Katrina Love of Quilcene High; and Kaitlyn Ejde, Renee Woods and Miriam Rose Molotsky of Chimacum High.
AAUW/UWF also will send several middle school students to a weeklong summer Tech Trek camp focused on hands-on STEM learning.
In addition to providing scholarships, AAUW and UWF will contribute volunteers and funding for local education projects during the 2017-18 school year, such as middle school career days and elementary school programs in literacy and math.
For more information on AAUW/UWF scholarships, projects and membership, visit http://pt-wa.aauw.net or phone Anne Englander at 360 390-5896.
High school STEM award winners are, from left, Kyama Bradley, Cassandra Rowland, Kaitlyn Ejde, Miriam Molotsky, Sydney Brown, Abby Weller and Katrina Love. Not pictured are Helena Stafford and Renee Woods.
