Meet These Student Scholarship Recipients
Scholarships help make a Chatham education affordable and accessible for exceptional students who may not otherwise have the financial resources to attend college. As part of a long tradition of our alumni giving back to the next generation of Chatham students, Barbara Stern Heffer ’68, Former Chatham Trustee, reflected on the impact scholarships have on both the donor and the recipient:
“Since my graduation from Chatham College in 1968, my husband John and I have been long-time, proud supporters of Chatham University. In 2010, we established The Heffer Scholars program, which provides scholarships for Chatham undergraduate women. Inspired by Chatham’s mission to create world-ready citizens and leaders, we wanted to support at least a few of the many bright, promising students who lack the financial resources to pay for higher education. What better way to provide students with access to an invaluable Chatham education than to offer a scholarship? Scholarships reward both the donor and the recipient. Our lives have been enriched by the relationships we’ve formed with these exceptional Chatham students over the years.”
In celebration of the impact of scholarships on our students and alumni, we’ve compiled a number of reflections from current students and scholarship recipients. We hope you’ll enjoy their reflections below—
The Shirley Kerchner Endowed Student Scholarship
Ariana Diaz Ayala ’23
BS in Biology
Hometown: Canonsburg, PA
What inspired you to choose your area of academic study?
I work as a surgical tech in the operating room, and the doctors that I work with inspired me to work in the medical field.
Why is scholarship support important to your educational goals?
The only reason why I was able to afford Chatham was due to my scholarship support. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to attend such an amazing school!
The Tamara Watkins ’95 Expendable Scholarship
Jeremiah Davis ’24
BA in Social Services Administration
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
What inspired you to choose your academic area of study?
I am pursuing a career in community development, so I can be of service to my community. I view community development as a crucial way to deal with long term systemic racism. I grew up seeing development that displaced black people from their communities and homes.
Why did you choose Chatham University?
Chatham’s sustainability program appealed to me for these reasons, so I can prepare myself for my career in community development. Also, visiting the Eden Hall Campus solidified my decision. Without the generous Chatham scholarship support I was awarded, I wouldn’t be able to afford a Chatham education.
The Marjorie Jane Shoemaker-Gibson Fund
Julian Kroger ’24
BS in Sustainability
Hometown: Beaver Falls, PA
What inspired you to choose your area of study?
I have been personally inspired by my family who is experienced in community development, economics, and agricultural engineering. My major in sustainability will help combine their areas of expertise, along with helping me to pursue my passion for environmental issues like climate change.
Why is scholarship support important to your educational goals?
Coming from a single-parent home, financial support was critical to my school selection. Even though I wanted to attend Chatham for the sustainability program, I would not have been able to do it without the support of scholarships.
The William Holdship Rea Scholarship
Jenna Kshatri ’23
BIA in Interior Architecture
Hometown: Allentown, PA
What would you like to say to the donor(s) that made your scholarship/award possible?
I can’t say thank you enough! Your generous contribution is why I can attend Chatham. Two days before I came to Chatham for my freshman year, my mom passed away. She’d been sick with cancer for ten years, but she had been the family breadwinner for a long time. When she got too sick to work, my family was worried about how we were going to pay for my college when we were already paying for my brother’s college. When she died, everything was chaos as it would be in that situation, but even more so with me having to leave home in less than 48 hours. Knowing I could more easily pay for Chatham because of my scholarship support was truly a weight off my shoulders. Moving to a new school in a new area with the heavy sorrow of grief following me was quite enough to handle, so having some of the financial burden removed meant the world to me, and I am thanking you again from the bottom of my heart.
Heffer Family Scholarship for Undergraduate Education
Hailey Patsy ’22
BS in Biology, IDP in MPAS
Hometown: East Brady, PA
What inspired you to choose your area of study?
I always knew that I wanted to help people, but this idea became very prominent while I was on a mission trip to Guatemala and was able to work alongside a physician assistant. Seeing everything she was able to do for these people inspired me to do the same. I hope that pursuing my dream will allow me to help countless numbers of people.
Why is scholarship support important to your educational goals?
I was not sure if I would be able to attend Chatham, as I come from a low-income family, and I knew that I would have to pay for college on my own. I had to make the most cost-efficient decision and knowing it might not be Chatham devastated me. However, because I was so blessed to receive the Heffer Family Scholarship, my dream became a reality. Because of the Heffer family’s generosity, I get to go to my dream school for a price that is reachable.
The Presidential & Trustee Expendable Scholarship
Dahlia Saenz ’25
BA in Music
Hometown: Grand Junction, CO
Why is scholarship support important to your educational goals?
My scholarship is tremendously important to me, because I am a curious and determined individual, and by receiving this scholarship I am able to nurture these attributes at Chatham. None of my family members attended a university; therefore, I am proud to be a first-generation college student. Without this scholarship I wouldn’t be able to pursue a degree, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity Chatham has given me.
What would you like to say to the donors who made your scholarship possible?
It is important that my scholarship donors know how incredibly grateful I am for them, and how much I value this opportunity. It isn’t every day that a kid like me gets to leave Colorado and pursue an education in the East.
The Dr. Robin Means Coleman Expendable Scholarship for Diversity & Inclusion
Kayla Taylor ’22
BIA in Interior Architecture
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
What inspired you to choose your area of academic study?
I chose to major in interior architecture because ultimately my dream would be to get into the textile and furniture design industry and open a business selling high-end homewares I develop and produce.
Why did you choose Chatham University?
I love Chatham and always have loved Chatham. The people I met during my visits were kind, interesting, and driven. That’s what I want for myself. During my first year, I immediately noticed that so many interesting people attend Chatham, and our sense of community is strong, even during hard times.
The Maggie Dawson Hobbs ’70 Award for Advancement in Social Work and
The Deborah Rubin Endowed Scholarship of the Class of 1962 Scholarship Challenge Fund
Samantha Van Zandt ’24
BSW in Social Work, Gateway Student
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Why is scholarship support important to your educational goals?
Earning a degree from an accredited university has been my ultimate, life-long dream. Many challenges and impairments delayed my first steps toward achieving that goal. There are even more challenges ahead of me now that I am on my way to that degree. Paying for my education is a serious stressor in my life. To the donors who chose to invest in my future, I am deeply grateful. I promise to put your time, effort, and donation to good use. I will prove to be a proactive and responsible recipient of these awards.
The Laurel Coutrakon Rice ’72 Expendable Scholarship Fund and
The Presidential and Trustee Expendable Scholarship
Isabella Vincent ’25
BA in PreK-4 Education
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
What inspired you to choose your area of study?
I chose education, and specifically elementary education because I wanted to shape the lives of young children. I think education is very important in order for all children to receive a fair and equal education.
Why is scholarship support important to your educational goals?
Higher education can be very expensive, and I have not had to take out any loans because of the support I have received. I would like to say thank you to the people who have helped to make this possible.
The Mary Acheson Spencer Memorial Scholarship
Kaitlyn Volk ’22
BA in Economics
Hometown: Somerset, PA
What are your future goals and aspirations? How do you think Chatham University has prepared you for those goals?
I hope to use my education to help others as a financial analyst. Chatham has provided me with a well-rounded perspective of business concepts, as well as community aspects, that have inspired me to make a positive impact in my future occupation.
What would you like to say to the donor(s) that made your scholarship/award possible?
Thank you very much for your generosity! Chatham University has been a perfect school for me, and I am so thankful that I am able to receive such a great education here. I hope to repay your kindness someday by doing the same for other students.
Special thanks to these scholarship award winners for sharing their stories with us. If you’re interested in making a gift in support of student scholarships, please visit chatham.edu/give.