Academic Scholarship

Graduating Senior

These scholarships are given to local high school graduating students who exhibit not only academic excellence, but as importantly, community volunteerism, leadership qualities, and a clear sense of direction.

Ruby Award formerly Making a Difference for Women

Honoring women in their communities who use their personal or professional influence to improve the lives of women and girls. Recognition is given to a local woman who has made outstanding achievements in professional business or voluntary areas that improve the lives of women and/or girls.

Sharon Handelin Edwards Scholarship

Graduating Female Senior Majoring in Business

This scholarship is given to a local high school graduating student who is going into business.

Violet Richardson Award

Honoring Young Women for Volunteer Action

This award recognizes and honors young women between the ages of 14 and 17 who make the community and world a better place through volunteer efforts such as fighting drugs; crime and violence; cleaning up the environment; and working to end discrimination and poverty.

Women’s Opportunity Award (WOA)

These scholarships are for women, heads of household, who are reentering school to advance their present position or to complete their education.

Youth Citizenship Award

These scholarships are for local young people who have actively contributed to the quality of our community.

Continuing Education Scholarship

These scholarships are given to past recipients of SIFB’s Academic Scholarship who are continuing their academic pursuits’ and have maintained their high standard of achievement.

Founder Region Fellowship

Founder Region Fellowship is the identifying project of Founder Region.  The mission is to advance the status of women.  Since 1948, Fellowship has provided fellowships to women in the final phase of their doctoral degrees.  Fellowships totaling a minimum of $20,000 are awarded each year to graduate students within the boundaries of the region.  During the first 60 years of the program over $700,000 was awarded to over 250 deserving women.  Through these awards Founder Region Soroptimists acknowledge the value of students' research work and enable them to complete the academic credential necessary for their careers.  This year marks the 60th anniversary of Founder Region Fellowship and the goal is to award $60,000 at our Region Conference in May.

A club or individual can become a Fellow by the contribution of $1,000 to Founder Region Fellowship during a biennium, by purchasing tickets to the Fellowship raffles at District Meeting or Region Conference or through an award from their club.

Our club contributes $500 each year and awards a Fellow to a member who has made a significant contribution to our club every other year.  This is the year and the Board would like input from club members as to who the awardees should be.  We have received a couple of names already of women who have worked hard on our fundraisers or who have contributed financially to our club.  If you have a nominee for this award please let me know and I will bring it to the board and the awards committee for consideration.  Many members of our club are already have their Fellow, but that should not bar them from consideration of this award since some have won them in raffles or purchased them on their own.  This is a way our club honors the work a member has done. 

from Jeanne Kinney