In May 2016, our branch selected seven recipients to each receive a $1,500 scholarship. Our branch’s Memorial Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to adult women students returning to Victor Valley College to continue their education.
Our Memorial Scholarships are administered by Victor Valley College Foundation. Please click here for link to VVC’s Foundation page. Each year applications are invited from all current and prospective Victor Valley College students beginning on about January 15. The deadline for applications is on or about March 15 and Letters of Recommendation are required by about March 31. During the annual scholarship drive, the link to the application is available at the top of the Foundation’s web page. Only online applications are accepted. No paper applications will be accepted.
Background: In the early 1970’s, the Victor Valley Branch of AAUW received a donation of $100 from the Senior Citizens of Victorville. This was the beginning of the Memorial Scholarship Fund. When Rachel Kuhns, one of the pioneer members of the branch, passed away, over $1,000 was donated in her name. Leeta Oden and Louise DeBelius established an ongoing scholarship account.
Due to their work, the Victor Valley branch has a perpetual scholarship fund and monies donated in memory of members are available for local scholarships. Myrtle Talley was the chairman of the scholarship fund for many years. Now the fund is directed by Anita Anderson (Fund Chair) and the other committee members, under whose stewardship the fund has continued to grow and thrive.
The money received for memorials has increased from the original $1,100 to $10,738 in 2004. This is a wonderful project of the Victor Valley branch. We thank Leeta and Louise for their brilliant initiative in starting the Memorial Scholarship Fund and Evelyn and Anita’s stewardship in the more recent past.
Money for the branch local scholarships has been raised in various ways: Sunday at the Lake, Interest Group donations (Bridge and Book Club), cookie walks, rummage sales, travel groups, individual donations, and the Art Tours (Art at the Aspen).