Our 2024 Scholarship Reception was an inspiring event on many levels: It's the realization of our mission as we support young women who are poised to become tomorrow's leaders. Our speakers provided a range of perspectives on the higher education experience -- an experience which is the foundation of our community. Our Scholarship Committee members live our commitment to equity and education through their many hours of hard work on the selection process. The story below is the press release we'll be circulating to local media to shed a light on our work, our organization, and these amazing young women. The pictures submitted to the press may be different from those shown below. Photos and biographies of the scholarship recipients also appear on the Scholarship page of our website for the coming year.
SUMMIT COLLEGE CLUB FOUNDATIONAWARDS $27,000 AT SCHOLARSHIP RECEPTION
Six Local High School Seniors Honored
Lile Hall in Christ Church, Summit, was filled on Sunday afternoon, June 2, 2024, when the Summit College Club Foundation awarded $4,500 to each of six accomplished high school senior women from Summit and surrounding towns. The scholarships, a testament to the Summit College Club's mission to advance equity for women and girls, will significantly aid these young women in pursuing their college dreams. The recognition of these students through the awarding of college scholarships is an annual high point for the members of the Summit College Club. Since its inception in 1920, Summit College Club has awarded more than $1 million in scholarship money, a contribution that has helped hundreds of local young women attend the college of their choice and make a difference in their communities.
This year’s scholarship recipients, Tanya Dev from Summit High School, Julia Nugent from Chatham High School, Mahrukh Khizar from Kent Place School, Elizabeth Davies from New Providence High School, Winnie Grober from Governor Livingston High School, and Manaal Qureshi from Chatham High School, have been chosen for their outstanding academic performance, exceptional leadership qualities, and the significant contributions they have made to their communities.
The awards ceremony commenced with Summit College Club President Lynne Rogerson warmly welcoming everyone. She gave the scholarship recipients and their families a brief history of the Summit College Club, highlighting its role in the community and its relationship to the American Association of University Women (AAUW).
Dr. Audrey Fisch, professor of English at New Jersey City University and founder and
president of the non-profit More Than Bootstraps, then spoke about how crucial it was for every young person to have access to and support for success in higher education. She spoke directly to the scholarship recipients about the transition from high school to college and the resources they will need to succeed. More Than Bootstraps helps build a community of first-generation students who empower each other to access and succeed in higher education based on peer mentorship, stipend support for program participants, and parental engagement.
Next, Kendall Torres, the 2023 Summit College Club Foundation’s Kathi C. Madison
scholarship recipient, spoke about her first year at Boston College. Kendall talked about the differences between being successful in high school and becoming successful in college, not being afraid to explore with an open mind new opportunities presented, and cultivating connections with other students and professors.
The final speaker, Marylou Motto, co-chair of the Summit College Club Scholarship
Committee, gave an update on AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL), which had wrapped up its annual conference the previous day. As a branch of AAUW, Summit College Club sponsored a previous year’s scholarship winner to attend this year’s NCCWSL conference. This year’s conference attendee’s report mentioned the enormous value she had gained from NCCWSL through the several days of workshops, activities, and talks that enhanced her leadership skills.
After these speeches, the six 2024 scholarship recipients were honored with a certificate, a rose, and, most importantly, a scholarship check.
· Tanya Dev, a student at Summit High School, was awarded the Tilla Thomas Merit Scholarship by Marylou Motto. This scholarship is given to a Summit High School senior woman who has shown academic excellence and leadership potential. In addition to a “sea of A’s” on her transcript at SHS, Tanya co-founded the Girls’ Club of Summit, which focuses on a different women’s issue every month. Most impressively, Tanya was interviewed on WABC Eyewitness News when she successfully raised over $24,000 for oxygen supplies for India during the COVID crisis. As a debate member for two years, Tanya competed at the NJ State quarter-finals level. Tanya plays field hockey, has captained a club team, and helps run a weekly hockey clinic for younger girls. Her guidance counselor cites her “selfless, service-oriented, and compassionate nature.” She will attend Tufts University in the fall and major in economics and political science.
· Julia Nugent, a student at Chatham High School, was awarded the Mary K. Tennant Scholarship by Scholarship Committee member Lorna Ness. This scholarship is given to a high school senior woman who has demonstrated academic excellence and leadership potential. Julia took numerous challenging Honors and AP courses while maintaining an outstanding GPA. Her teachers selected her as a lab assistant, presented her with the Bell Award for Technology, and nominated her for the Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology at Rutgers for her accomplishments and leadership in STEM fields. Dancing is Julia’s passion, and with the Dance Innovations and Performance Company, she has performed at venues such as Disney World, Universal Studios, and Martha Graham Studio. She is also part of the Envision Dance Exchange, which brings together able-bodied dancers with those who have developmental and intellectual challenges. As a Girl Scout, Julia has won the Silver and Gold Awards, the highest honors in Girl Scouting. She is a member of the LINKS Executive Board, a Chatham High club that welcomes and mentors freshmen. Julia will attend the University of Richmond in the fall to pursue her joint passions for dance and biology.
· Mahrukh Khizar, a senior at Kent Place School, was presented with the Kathi C. Madison Scholarship by Ellie Redington, co-chair of the Scholarship Committee. This scholarship is given each year to a high school senior woman who plans to pursue a career in science and medicine. Mahrukh was described by one of her teachers as a “voracious pursuer of truth, knowledge, and equity.” Mahrukh’s parents immigrated from Pakistan, and she speaks fluent Urdu. She is the founder and president of Kent Place School’s Asian Pacific Islander Association. She also founded a STEM program for Pakistani girls. Having witnessed poverty first-hand in Pakistan, Mahrukh is a dedicated volunteer for the Community Food Bank of NJ. She is president of the Teen Leadership Council, president of her school’s math club, and vice president of the Future Business Leaders of America Club. As a junior, she was inducted into the National High School Mathematics Honor Society and founded her school’s Science Olympiad Team. Mahrukh also works on the school newspaper. She will attend Tufts University in the fall and is planning to major in neuroscience and anthropology. She hopes to study medicine after college.
· Elizabeth Davies, a New Providence High School student, was presented a Summit College Club Foundation Scholarship by Scholarship Committee member Molly Ball. Elizabeth has achieved an impressive academic record. She was inducted into the National Honor Society and is a member of the Science National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, and is the Future Medical Professionals Club vice president. She has been on the NPHS soccer team for four years. As a member of the Girls Scouts, Elizabeth has supported homeless survivors of domestic violence. In addition to having a very demanding academic schedule and engaging in service activities, Elizabeth somehow found the time to take two health-related courses at Rutgers and, last year, to become a cadet member of the New Providence EMS. This fall, Elizabeth plans to major in the prestigious Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Program at Quinnipiac University, followed by a master’s degree in Pathology.
· Winnie Grober was presented a Summit College Club Foundation Scholarship by Scholarship Committee member Barbara Sayres. Winnie is graduating from Governor Livingston High School as a member of the National Honor Society, the Italian Club, and the Debate Team. Winnie has exceptional creative and musical talents, playing the cello, bass, ukelele, mandolin, and guitar. She is a member of the school jazz band and orchestra; she also performs with her sister in an indie-folk band, Sisters G, which recently released its first album containing the award-winning song “Forever More.” Winnie has also written and published a novel. She has been in the entertainment business since age three, with credits in TV, film, commercials, voiceovers, and theater. Winnie has earned a 3rd-degree black belt in Taekwondo and is an instructor. This fall, Winnie plans to major in screenwriting at Belmont University.
· Manaal Qureshi, a senior at Chatham High School, was awarded a Summit College Club Foundation Scholarship by Scholarship Committee member Susan Abley. One of Manaal’s counselors said that Manaal “stands out as a student who wants to make a difference in the world and is taking action toward making a positive impact on her school and community.” Manaal is the chief operating officer of CS Base, a national non-profit STEM organization with 45 chapters nationwide that seeks to provide students of all levels with access to comprehensive computer science education. Her work there earned her a community service award from NJ State Senator John Bramnick. She also earned the Girl Scouts Gold Award for her computer model to automate river trash detectors. Manaal is President of her school’s Women’s Empowerment Club, a founding member of the Refugee Club, President of the Research Club, and a member of the debate team, the robotics club, the fencing team, and the CHS Model UN. Manaal also published an article in the Journal of High School Science. She will attend Georgetown University in the fall and plans to major in economics and computer science.
After the awards ceremony, there was a catered reception where Summit College Club members, guests, proud parents, and scholarship recipients enjoyed meeting one another and celebrating the scholarship winners' amazing accomplishments.
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