P.E.O. SCHOLAR AWARDS | PSA
by Lisa Cooley, P.E.O. Scholar Awards Board of Trustees NOW is the Time to Look for Your 2022/2023 PSA Candidate!
Are you asking yourself “how do we start?” or “where do we find highly talented P.E.O. Scholar Award candidates?” Below we share ideas both from chapter nominations presented this year and as suggestions from P.E.O. Scholar Awards (PSA) state, provincial and district (s/p/d) chairs. The first step in nominating is to familiarize yourself with the requirements for a PSA candidate, which are found on the P.E.O. International member website – https://members.peointernational.org/ psa-eligibility . The second step is to “spread the word” everywhere. The third step is to “continue spreading the word” to the same and new resources. The fourth step is to—you guessed it— “forever spread the word.” It is said that people need to hear or be exposed to a message seven times before they can retain the information and act on it! So, where might your chapter “spread the word?” Chapters look close to home. Within your chapter is a great place to start—consider a sister, daughter, granddaughter, niece or one of those special women your sisters have been talking about for years. Keep in touch with your past STAR, Educational Loan Fund or Program for Continuing Education applicants or Cottey alumnae. Sometimes the women are right in front of you. Reach out to those in your circle— your spouse, significant other, children, friends, neighbors, children’s friends and work
Share with new people or reconnect with others at special celebrations— weddings, birthday parties or graduation celebrations. Really? If you hear about a person who is college bound, mention P.E.O.’s
monetary support of our projects. If you are asked about yourself, share how P.E.O. helps women reach for the stars financially. It does work! A friend of a friend of another friend might be your best lead. Chapters look within their community. Check out your local newspaper for articles about women doing research or recent college graduates.
Health clinics, research companies and businesses who support interns could provide candidates seeking a doctoral degree. Arkansas hosts a unique P.E.O. Scholar Award information session. The Arkansas PSA chair, in conjunction with a University representative, brings together local chapters in the state with potential PSA candidates. The night includes speakers who share the applicant requirements or selection criteria or a talk from a previous PSA recipient. The candidates provide their bios and a brief presentation on their research. Chapters are provided instructions on how to pursue a candidate they wish to support. Wouldn’t your chapter like to have a pool of candidates for you to consider sponsoring and supporting? Sponsoring a PSA applicant provides your chapter the honor of “helping women reach for the stars.” It creates an opportunity to make the world better through your scholar’s research and allows your chapter to know a special woman who will enrich their own lives. With these ideas, have fun with your chapter sisters in finding your talented P.E.O. Scholar Award candidate for next fall!
Connect with high school teachers or counselors who may be in touch with former students. Attend local talk series or concerts that offer networking opportunities with speakers or attendees. Candidates search social media and websites for scholarships, so share approved information on your social media accounts. Chapters develop on-going relationships with organizations associated directly with potential candidates. Candidates hear about the award through past PSA recipients or applicants. Local community college professors may keep in touch with students throughout their educational journey. Graduate school professors or deans or department chairs or admissions offices offer direct links to candidates. It takes time for chapters to nurture and build relationships with university contacts but making inroads with the right individuals will result in potential candidates. Several chapters and s/p/ds have success through these long-standing relationships.
colleagues. They might know a woman returning to school for a doctoral degree.
Share within groups to which you belong, your church or groups in your community who focus on education. Youth leaders in church or band or coaches of sports may stay connected as the young woman continues her education. Maybe someone is leaving the work force to return for an advanced degree.
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THE P.E.O. RECORD | May–June 2022
Women helping women reach for the stars
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