AAUW Ashland Scholarship Awards
AAUW Ashland’s scholarships are available to students enrolled at our local partner schools, Rogue Community College (RCC) and Southern Oregon University (SOU). Students apply for the AAUW Ashland Scholarship by using their school’s scholarship process and deadlines.
Our awards are prioritized to those in financial need, often identified as a first generation college student; and/or non-traditional student returning to higher education, after a break due to life circumstances and/or challenges. Yet they persevere in their educational journey, by supporting their families, contributing to their community’s well-being, and participating in their school’s learning environments. Support women in higher education at RCC and/or SOU by making a gift or donation.
Join to become a member and work on empowering women at AAUW Ashland.
SOU Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded to full time SOU graduate or undergraduate female students of any age who have financial need and have demonstrated leadership in school and/or community activities, volunteer service, and/or employment, internship or work.
SOU Scholarship Criteria
RCC Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded to female students with financial need in any field of study and of any age and have demonstrated leadership in community activities, volunteer service, and/or employment.
RCC Scholarship Criteria
2024 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
The scholarships awarded to these five deserving women were applied to their expenses for the 2024-25 academic year.
Rogue Community College Scholars
Randi Kearney is an RCC student enrolled in the LPN-RN bridge program. She is set to graduate in Summer 2025 with an Applied Science-Registered Nurse. She worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant at the Rogue Valley Manor before obtaining her Licensed Practical Nurse in the Fall of ’21. Randi has worked in a variety of nursing specialties including Addiction Recovery, Long-term Skilled Nursing, and Cardiac Recovery. She has found a passion for working in mental health as well as teaching. She currently works at Rogue Regional Medical Center in the behavioral health unit and teaches crisis intervention for the nursing professional development team.
“I had several people throughout my early career working in the automotive industry tell me I would make an amazing nurse, which was crazy to me. Fast forward a decade and I found myself unhappy in my job and wanted a change. I started part-time school in January 2020, with a two-year plan toward becoming a nurse. I soon found myself without a job due to COVID and took that opportunity to go back to school full-time and get my CNA license. I found a passion for caring for others and finally felt fulfilled in my career.”
Kriston Parker is an RCC student in Nursing. This year she graduated from RCC with an Associate Degree in General Education. Recently she completed a certificate in a nursing assistance program and trained in basic life support. She has been involved with Compassionate Presence a pilot project and continued education in, Living with Dying: Grief Readiness in Older Adult Care and Service. Previously, in her home she provided 24/7 care to a family member living with dementia. She regularly donates her time checking in on her elderly neighbors helping them with comfort, daily living and providing a social setting.
“At two years of age I watched surgeries instead of cartoons. Since then I have been fascinated by the medical realm. Raised by a teen single mom and living a low-income life, I realized later that I too could have a professional career–one that is pandemic proof and provides a better future for my children. Nursing will allow me to contribute back to our community, helping advocate for the elderly and dying. As a Registered Nurse, I want to bring more compassion to the medical field and help provide a better provider to patient ratio with kindness.”
Southern Oregon University Scholars
Taylor Moody is a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Master’s program at SOU. She is awarded the Judy Yin Shih Scholarship. Taylor is a mixed race, first generation college student pursuing her dreams of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Taylor has recently started her internship with Jackson County Mental Health where she works on the Mobile Crisis Team. As a single mother, Taylor is dedicated to maintaining excellent grades, working hard, and being a good example to her two daughters. Taylor volunteers with the BASE Youth program here in Southern Oregon, where her daughters are dedicated members.
“I was brought up in the public school system in Oakland, CA where it is predominantly African-American and Latinx. Looking back, I now realize the stigma that surrounded mental health issues and the shortfall of mental health care in the black and brown community. Mental health services were something that was rarely sought, though desperately needed. Through years of experience, I have realized that Black and Latinx populations are disproportionately affected by the lack of available mental health resources. My goal is to work with these underserved and underrepresented populations to help close the gap of mental health services for people of color and to provide access to those services for the individuals that need them.”
Tiana Gilliland is a senior at the SOU Honors College, studying for a Bachelor of Sciences in Healthcare Administration and Business Administration with minors in Health Promotion and Ethics. Tiana is awarded the Wolf-Pizor Family Scholarship. She is a first-generation college student. She studied abroad at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom for Philosophy. Tiana is SOU Student Body President, President of both Rotaract and the International Student Association, and Treasurer of the Native American Student Union. She is enrolled in the Shasta Indian Nation and has ancestry in the Powhatan, Cherokee, and Blackfoot tribes. Her plan is to complete a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and to work in healthcare organizations where she can help her community.
“I have always been passionate about helping other people and the way I want to do that is by being a healthcare administrator. I have worked at the SOU Student Health and Wellness Center and have interned at Mercy Flights in the finance department. I want to use my knowledge of what I have learned in my healthcare, business, and ethics courses to be able to overall promote the health of my community. It is significant to me that people’s well-being is paid attention to and that more people have access to healthcare.”
Garima Sharma is a Pre-Nursing and Healthcare Administration senior at SOU. She is awarded the Lang Family Scholarship. Born and raised in India, she is a first-generation college student who has taken full advantage of opportunities at SOU, including four years in student government, Associated Students of Southern Oregon University (ASSOU), serving on the SOU Board of Trustees, and working various campus jobs, including housing for three years. Currently interning at Mercy Flights, Garima focuses on emergency plans and healthcare improvements. These diverse experiences have deeply influenced her academic and professional path, with a clear goal of becoming a flight nurse in the US Air Force.
“Growing up in India, where education is a privilege, attending Southern Oregon University has been a dream come true. As the first in my family to go to college, my time at SOU has been transformative. Involvement in Student Government (ASSOU) and serving as a trustee have enriched my leadership skills. Balancing my double majors and minors with campus jobs and an internship at Mercy Flights has been challenging but rewarding. Scholarships have eased my financial burden, allowing me to focus on becoming a flight nurse in the Air Force. I’m grateful for the support and eager to give back to my community.”
Ashland High School (AHS)
Scholarship Award
It was a banner second year for our AHS scholarship award to a graduating senior girl who would be the first in her family to attend a four-year college or university and obtain a degree. A record ten girls applied for the scholarship, all with strong academic records, a long list of school and community activities, and stories of resilience.
Just as important, we doubled the donations to the AHS scholarship fund. The target had been $2,500, last year’s total, but thanks to a robust fund-raising effort, we raised $5,000! We ended up giving two awards, one for $3,000 and the second for $2,000.
Please meet the winners:
Nikaela Apilada, who likes running marathons, will tell you that what draws her to the sport is that it requires a combination of physical and mental preparation. “A marathon is like life with its ups and downs,” she adds. “Once you’ve done it, you feel that you can do anything.”
Nikaela imagines a career in the medical field, perhaps as a physical therapist focused on sports medicine. She has good grades, she is an athlete (cross country, track, basketball, golf), she is a leader — and for the past four years Nikaela has worked as a hostess and server at Martinos, logging over 2,500 hours.
What’s also important to know about Nikaela is that she is resilient. When she was nine and her parents could no longer take care of her, she moved in with her grandfather, who has raised her ever since. She describes herself as shy and awkward until she started making friends at Ashland High School. At the start of her senior year, however, she found herself the object of intense bullying and transferred temporarily to Phoenix high school, pulled herself back together there, and returned to finish at Ashland High.
Nikaela plans to attend Oregon State University and major in kinesiology. Our AAUW award ($3,000) “really helps me to achieve my goals,” she says. “I’m so excited for this next chapter.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Sharon Im stands out in so many ways. Academically, she’s at the top of her class, with a weighted GPA of 4.14 and 64 college/dual credits under her belt. She has been a leader in student government and various clubs at the high school, as well as making time for community service.
She will tell you, though, that what she has cared about most is helping out in her parents’ sushi restaurant in downtown Ashland, where she has worked as a hostess and waitress for 5 years. “I believe a big part of what has shaped me is working and seeing a side of the community that I had not witnessed before,” she says. “The opportunity to meet and serve so many caring and supporting people opened my eyes to the importance of community and the bonds people make with each other.”
Sharon has received a full scholarship to Wake Forest University in North Carolina, where she plans to study child psychology. As the second oldest of five girls, taking care of her younger siblings, she says, has been a gift and not a chore. AAUW’s $2,000 award, she is quick to say, will fill the cracks, including allowing her to make several cross-country trips to visit the family that means so much to her.
Barbara Cervone
AHS Scholarship Committee