2024 AAUW Carlisle Scholarship Recipients

On April 23 at 6 pm in the Holland Union Building on the Dickinson College campus, we shared a festive banquet with friends, family, and food.  Thanks to the generosity of our membership, we awarded scholarships to five exceptional women who have demonstrated academic achievement and a deep commitment to their areas of study.  This year, we expanded and began accepting applications from Perry County students and are proud to have a Perry County resident join the accomplished group who call Cumberland County home.

The recipients of $2000 scholarships include previous awardees:
Lily Bistline (Loyola University of Maryland, Psychology)
Lauren Stroup (Wilson College, Nursing)

We welcome new recipients:
Rebekah Becker (Marywood University, Nutrition & Dietetics)
Colleen Lesher (Liberty University, (Ed. D, Education & Educational Psychology)
Iman Muhammad (HACC, Nursing)

AAUW members and the guests of the honorees appreciated the remarks offered by each of our recipients as they described their accomplishments and future ambitions.  Clearly, they echo the AAUW mission in their current lives and in their future careers.

2023 AAUW Carlisle Scholarship Recipients

Members of AAUW Carlisle gathered at Second Presbyterian Church in Carlisle to honor four higher educational scholarship recipients at its annual Scholarship Banquet. This year’s scholarships are awarded in honor of Barbara “Linkey” Green, who passed away on January 6, 2023.  Linkey served as Carlisle Branch President from 2015 to 2017.  She was an active and dedicated member of the Scholarship Committee, and was honored by the branch with the “Outstanding Woman” award in 2015 for exemplifying the ideals of AAUW, for showing commitment to the community, and for being an inspiration and role model for branch members.  She was also instrumental in establishing the AAUW Student Organization at Dickinson College, and under her leadership, the branch began supporting Camp Invention.

AAUW Scholarship Committee Chair, Lillian Wong, introduced this year’s Linkey Green Scholarship recipients to the assembled members.

Lily Bistine, a graduate of Boiling Springs High School, is now finishing her junior year at Loyola University in Maryland.  Preparing for a career in mental health, she studies psychology and maintains a superior academic standing while also competing with the school’s Patriot League diving team.

Samantha Martin is a two-time AAUW Carlisle scholarship recipient.  Now a junior at Gettysburg College with a triple major in Political Science, Public Policy, and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies.  She also minors in Peace and Justice Studies.  A graduate of Carlisle High school, she has worked with the branch to help plan the Women’s Rally on the Square in 2019.  Samantha hopes to pursue a Master of Public Policy degree after graduation next year.

Claire Stoner is a graduate of Cumberland Valley High School in 2020.  She is enrolled in the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, and has propelled herself into an accelerated program where she will graduate in three and a half years.  She positions herself to receive a master’s degree and will sit for the CPA exam in the fall of 2024.   This is her third AAUW Carlisle scholarship award.

Lauren Stroup, is currently a student at Wilson College.  She graduated from Big Spring High School in 2009 and then attended Franklin County Career and Technology Practical Nursing Program, as well as taking classes at HACC in the LPN and RN programs.  At Wilson, she is working toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

2022
Meta Bowman, Master’s in Social Work, Shippensburg University.
Clair Stoner, Accounting, Duquesne University.
Samantha Martin, Political Science, Public Policy, and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Gettysburg College.

2021 
Meta Bowman, Master of Social Work, Shippensburg University.
Bailey Jones, Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh.
Makenzie Sayers, Family & Consumer Science Education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Claire Stoner, Accounting, Duquesne University.

2020
Meta Bowman, Master’s Degree in Social Work, Shippensburg University.
Angelica Brill, Community Environment & Development, Penn State University, University Park.
Madeleine Davis, majors-Environmental Sustainability, minors-Psychology & Spanish, Shippensburg University.
Gabrielle Dietrich, Social Work, Shippensburg University.
Bailey Jones, Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh.
Megan Rozmajzl, Physician Assistant, Salus University.

2019
Johanna Bear, Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies, and Theatre, Franklin & Marshall College.
Bailey Jones, Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh.
Makayla Glass, Accounting, John L. Grove College of Business at Shippensburg University.
Darien Kase, Pediatric Nursing, Penn State University. 
Carlie Antes, Art therapy combined with psychology, Marywood University, Lt. Col. Edward J. “Woodie” Collins Memorial Scholarship.

2018
Makayla Glass, Accounting, John L. Grove College of Business at Shippensburg University.
Darien Kase, Pediatric nursing, Penn State University.
Rebekah Vensel, Major Music Industry, Loyola University in New Orleans.
Ciera Rhodes, Nursing, Wilson College, Yeun Yen Lee Wong Memorial Scholarship.
The Yeun Yen Lee Wong Memorial Scholarship, was introduced. Dr. Lillian Wong, and AAUW Carlisle member, offered the scholarship in honor and in memory of her mother who valued education though she herself lacked any formal education. The scholarship hopes to reflect the impact and importance of education for women and girls. This scholarship is given to a candidate who graduated with a STEM degree and is currently pursuing a second degree in a health field.

2017
Alyssa Jones, Physician’s Assistant Program, Penn State Hershey College of Medicine.
Ciera Rhodes, Nursing, Wilson College.
Morgan Seifert, Elementary & Early Childhood Education, Penn State University.
Alexandria Shope , Communications Design, Kutztown University.
Lynn Finkenbinder, Food Service, Penn State University, Joann B. Ketterer Memorial Scholarship.
AAUW Carlisle presented a Memorial Scholarship honoring Joann B. Ketterer, a branch member and past membership co-chair.  A resident of Newville, she was a Penn State University graduate, and taught Home Economics at Shippensburg High School and the Adams County Extension Office.  Active in the Pennsylvania and Cumberland County Farm Women, the Shippensburg Fair Exhibitors and the Future Home Economics of America, Joann was an enthusiastic supporter of the AAUW Branch scholarship program.

2016
Alyssa Jones, Physician Assistant, Penn State College of Medicine.
Miranda Clash, Early Childhood Education, Elizabethtown College.
Kelsey Dutka, Pharmacy, Duquesne University.
Crystal Van, Marketing, Temple University.