Asheville P.E.O. Chapter M Forges ‘A Woman’s Road to Success’
Photo Credit: Maggie Whitcraft
By Meg Hale Brunton
Chapter M of P.E.O., a philanthropic educational organization, in their ongoing efforts to help women of all ages and backgrounds gain access to the education opportunities they desire, has announced its club scholarships awardees for the year. Chapter M is one of six chapters of P.E.O. in the Asheville area.
One of the P.E.O.’s six core projects, the Scholars award program for continuing education has awarded its grant of $3,000 to Marguerite Whitcraft. She is an Asheville resident and mother of a five year-old little girl. Whitcraft holds an undergraduate degree in education, but says she is eager to get her master’s degree in family counseling, so she can help people grow and heal. “When my daughter started school and I recognized she would always be a latchkey kid, I decided I wanted to change my career and find something that would give me the flexibility to pick her up from school and go on field trips with her,” Whitcraft explains. “The ladies at P.E.O. made the process easy and attainable. It was a delight getting to know these remarkable women who care about the lives of other women. This was not just a transaction to receive a scholarship. It was and is a relational community that I would one day want to join.”
Zola Ferraby is the recipient of the Asheville P.E.O. club chapter’s own scholarship program: A Woman’s Road to Success. For this scholarship, she has been awarded $2,500. Ferraby is completing this year of college at UNC-Greensboro and transferring to Appalachian State University for the coming year. Also an Asheville native, Ferraby is majoring in Sustainable Development, a passion which she says was fueled through growing up surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. “I've always wanted to make a difference in people's lives and to protect our natural world, which is why I wanted to get a degree in Sustainability- an education that balances people and the planet. In order to get a quality education in Sustainability, I would need to go to a college with a good program but wasn't entirely sure about the financial aspects of a four-year college,” explains Ferraby. Ferraby’s grandmother, a second-generation P.E.O. member, encouraged her to apply for a scholarship through the P.E.O. and supported her throughout the process. “The ladies of Chapter M awarded me [the] scholarship, A Woman's Road to Success, that has enabled me to complete my first year of college. Their actions allowed me to access many opportunities and I am incredibly thankful for them. They have been very supportive and welcoming throughout my first year. I'm very grateful for their actions, encouragement, and the opportunities I've had because of them.”
The STAR Scholarship, a program of P.E.O. International for young women who are graduating from high school, has been awarded to UNC-Chapel Hill Freshman Zoe Schruckmayr this year. The selective nationwide scholarship of $1000 is awarded to incoming freshmen, and each P.E.O. chapter selects a high school senior girl to nominate for the it. Asheville native and Peace, War, and Defense major, Schruckmayr is planning to pursue a career with the State Department after she graduates. “I love all things music, tennis, and foreign policy!” Shruckmayr exclaims. “I was super excited to have the opportunity to be chosen and apply for the scholarship through Chapter M because I quickly realized college is not the most affordable thing on earth! I also love P.E.O.’s mission of empowering women to receive an education so this scholarship greatly aligns with my values. I was overjoyed when I found out I received the Star Scholarship as the money helped to relieve some financial stress as I started my freshman year at UNC. I also found it very empowering to know that I am perceived as a woman making a good change in the world.”
The P.E.O. is an international nonprofit organization of around 230,000 women, all working toward the common goal of broadening womens’ horizons, and opening doors to education for any and all women who seek it. To date, the organization has provided over $398 million in education assistance and helped over 119,000 women reach their educational goals.
For further information on the P.E.O., visit their website: https://www.peointernational.org/
