Summit Business Women Aid Struggling Students

With the goal of aiding local woman struggling to achieve their educational goals, Summit Business and Professional woman are distributing a total of $13,000 in scholarships to 10 recipients.

Each year BPW raises money to award educational scholarships for both young woman graduating from Summit High School as well as women living within a 50-mile radius of Summit who are seeking career advancement through education.

Among the awards being given out this year is the Lassus Wherley Award - donated by Clare Wherley - which is given to a young woman who demonstrates extraordinary resilience and determination to overcoming obstacles. 

This year's recipient of the Lassus Wherley award is Candyce Pettinari

Another award winner, 20-year-old Summit native Chelsea Taylor, described overcoming early struggles on her way to pursuing her educational goals.

Taylor and her three siblings struggled emotionally for years as her embattled parents went through a painful and emotional divorce.  At times she played the role of second mom to her two younger siblings while staying at her father’s house after the divorce. 

Along with family therapy and participating in a church sponsored trip to Nicaragua to help kids get off drugs, Taylor has put her focus on her future and is not looking back.

During a trip to visit her brother Jesse at the University of Virginia, Taylor said she fell in love with the campus. With the aid of the BPW award, she will be attending the school as a freshman this fall.

And while she pursues a business degree, she's dedicated to helping children as well.

"Even though people may not know it on the outside, there are lots of kids that need help, but are too embarrassed or depressed to reach out for help,” she said, noting that her experience in Nicaragua helped open her eyes to the struggles of of others.

The Summit Business and Professional Women Scholarship Award Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Grand Summit Hotel.

Tickets cost $45 for members and $50 for non-members. Please RSVP at meetingrsvp@summitbpw.org.  

BPW Scholarship Foundation Inc. is not-for-Profit organization with 501(C)3 status, so if you would like to make a charitable contribution ,please contact Nancy Brunton at, nmbrunton@optonline.net. For more information, visit our website at www.summitbpw.organd on Facebook @https://www.facebook.com/SummitBPW.