The Elmhurst area branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) recently announced recipients of three $3,000 Returning Student Scholarships.
The Returning Student Scholarships are awarded annually to women aged 25 or older from Elmhurst and nearby communities who need financial assistance to continue education at the undergraduate or graduate level.
This year’s recipients are:
Michaela Rendon of Bensenville, a first-year student in the Master’s in Counseling Psychology program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology;
Kiley McLean of Elmhurst, in her fourth year as a doctoral candidate in social work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and
Madison Navarro of Elmhurst, pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.
According to an AAUW release, all three women have completed undergraduate degrees on their way to advanced degrees.
More Top Picks Fly Trap
Rendon is a mother of three who received her undergraduate degree in psychology this past year. She hopes to contribute to the mental health field. Her goal is to become a licensed clinical professional counselor working with anxiety disorders, with a possible focus on helping those suffering from eating disorders.
McLean plans to pursue her goal to be the first one in her family to pursue a doctoral degree. She will use the scholarship to support the completion of her dissertation and Ph.D. next year. With a focus on autism, she hopes to pursue a career in academia, conducting research and influencing policy to help autistic adults lead long, healthy, and productive lives in their communities.
Navarro developed a passion for advocacy through her volunteer work for Special Olympics, Access Sports, and Misericordia. With an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from the University of Chicago, she hopes to combine her neuroscience research experience with her passion for innovation to discover innovative rehabilitation technologies. She hopes eventually to teach the next generation of physical therapists.
Scholarship recipients can come from Addison, Bensenville, Berkeley, Northlake, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, or Villa Park in addition to Elmhurst.
The AAUW mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research at both the national and local levels. Funds for these scholarships come from the used book sale which the Elmhurst Branch hosts each summer. The overwhelming success of the 2021 Book Sale enabled the Branch to award three scholarships this year.
The 2022 AAUW Used Book Sale to fund 2023 Scholarships will be held August 4-7 at Sandburg Middle School, 345 E. St. Charles Rd., Elmhurst. For more details and information on the scholarship program, visit the Chapter website at www.aauwelmhurst.org.
Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.