Boynton Beach, FL – During a time when good news is sorely needed, the non-profit Alliance of Women Executives (AWE) made the college dreams of 20 Palm Beach County young women come true. The organization awarded $30,000 in scholarships to 20 deserving graduates at the organization’s scholarship awards ceremony, held June 23 via Zoom, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coming from all walks of life, and with unique stories and often challenging backgrounds, eight of the recipients will be attending Palm Beach State College and twelve will become Florida Atlantic University students. Several are the first generation in their family to attend college, and all are accomplished both academically and in their service to the community. Their aspirations are equally ambitious, as they plan to pursue a variety of degrees from nursing, law, and medicine to criminology and the arts.
Founded just 4 years ago by business executive Vicki Tate, AWE offers professional and entrepreneurial women networking opportunities to share their business experience and knowledge while also promoting higher education for the next generation of women through academic scholarships. With the inclusion of the 2020 awards, a total of 36 scholarships have been granted to young Palm Beach women of promise since the organization’s inception.
“I am humbled and overwhelmed by our success in such a short time,” notes AWE founder Vicki Tate. “It’s a testament to the support of the community at large, the passion of the women who’ve become AWE members, and the promise of these incredible college-bound young women. I had the original vision, but they are responsible for the realization of the vision.”
The AWE motto is “She believed she could, so she did,” and the growth of AWE in four short years reflects a true embodiment of that maxim. “The first year of our existence we offered just one scholarship. The next year 4, and last year we gave out 12 scholarships,” says AWE Vice President Terri Drew, Administrator of Abacoa Golf Club. “This year, through strategic networking and sheer willpower, we were able to increase the scholarship count to 20 which is really an AWEsome achievement.”
Obtaining the extra funding alleviates some of the financial pressure the girls face as they seek their higher education. “Receiving this scholarship means a lot to me. It will help lift some financial burden and will allow me to focus more on school rather than worrying about paying for college,” notes Najuscka, the oldest of seven children and first in her family to attend college. With a goal of becoming an OB/GYN Najuscka adds, “I plan to set a great example for my siblings and make my parents proud.”
Brenda, who plans to become a pediatrician notes “This scholarship means the world to me … My other goal after I become a pediatrician is to open my own practice and start a charity that serves children in need.”
Kya, a marine sciences major, wants “to make a difference and break boundaries. “I’ve always loved the sea and want to help engineer ways to help save and protect it. I’m so incredibly grateful to receive the AWE Scholarship and cannot wait to see what the future holds.”
Helping these young future leaders achieve their ambitious goals is a key reason many companies and individuals have become AWE scholarship sponsors. We are grateful to the BallenIsles Charity Foundation, Theodore Babbitt and Jessica Cheatham Babbitt, Live Well Chiropractic, K & E Travel and many more including several real estate teams who donate after the closing of each property.
“I can’t thank the scholarship underwriters and the AWE membership enough for making this a banner year for AWE,” notes Vicki Tate. “The support the members are providing each other during this difficult time, coupled with the much-needed financial help we’re able to give these young women has made our mission even more relevant.”
Founding board member and Director of Marketing for Redevelopment Management Associates Sharon McCormick is optimistic about the future of the organization. “Though COVID-19 will surely present challenges for the year ahead, I am confident they will be overcome.”
ABOUT THE ALLIANCE OF WOMEN EXECUTIVES (AWE)
AWE provides a platform to bring like-minded professional women together, sharing knowledge, experiences and networking opportunities, while also making an impact on future generations of young women in Palm Beach by promoting higher education and making it accessible to them through scholarship awards. In 2019 the organization was awarded the prestigious “Advocates for Children Award” by the Florida’s Children First in recognition of the work they have done to provide funding for youth from foster care and other disadvantaged populations to attain a higher education.
The Alliance of Women Executives is the vision of Vicki Tate, brought to life with several of her friends and professional colleagues who share a passion for philanthropy and paying it forward. Together, they have built a strong network of women who turn professional acquaintances into personal friendships. The relationships created combined with their philanthropic vision is what draws members to not only join AWE, but to stay.
For more information, contact (561)789-8415 info@aweinc.org, or visit www.aweinc.org
2020 Scholarship Recipients – Left to Right
1st row : Sulvamette Sylvain, Tatiana Evans, Nyree Ferguson, Anterica Benyard, Gema Cervantes
2nd row: Betsi Reinoso-Corrada, Brenda Remarais, Najuscka Lapaix, Sophia Kogos, Patriana Vickers
3rd row: Fatimah Jaber, Imelda Cardenas, Andrea Carey, Schebania Delva, Christine Louis-Jeune,
4th row: Kya Heard, Beatrice Mattison-Santos, Batsheva Gil, Eve Sarah Augustin, Yessenia Concepcion