Penn College

Two awarded Peggy Madigan Memorial Leadership Scholarships at Penn College

From left, were state Sen. Gene Yaw, chairman of the Penn College Board of Directors; Peggy Madigan Memorial Leadership Scholarship recipients Caleb J. Maenza, of Sayre, and Jessica M. Stevens, of Milan; and Robb Dietrich, executive director of the Penn College Foundation. Credit: Penn College / Penn StateCreative Commons

Students from Sayre and Milan were presented with 2014-15 Peggy Madigan Memorial Leadership Scholarships on May 27 at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Caleb J. Maenza, of Sayre, a student at North Rome Christian School, will enroll in the pre-occupational therapy major this fall at Penn College.

Jessica M. Stevens, of Milan, a senior at Athens Area High School, will enroll in the forest technology major for fall 2014.

The scholarship – named in memory of the late wife of former state Sen. Roger A. Madigan, who represented the 23rd District – may be used to help defray the costs of tuition, fees, books, tools and other required supplies. Applicants are required to write an essay describing the community service they have performed and the value that service has added to the community.

The selections were announced during the annual Student Government Seminar hosted at Penn College by Madigan’s successor, Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock, who also chairs the college’s board of directors.

The scholarship is open to high school students from the district who attend the seminar and subsequently enroll as full-time students at the college.

Maenza’s community activities include volunteering at ElderWood Health Care, at Helping Up Mission’s soup kitchen in Baltimore, at Drink at the Well Inc.’s program in Baltimore (cleaning inner-city streets) and at a Salvation Army soup kitchen. He also helped to build a new path for disabled hikers at Spruce Lake Retreat in the Pocono Mountains.

Maenza’s school organizations and extracurricular activities include volunteer tutor with the kindergarten class, student council (vice president), drama/theater, photography, art, soccer and volleyball.

Stevens, through her involvement with the National Honor Society at Athens Area High School, has performed community service in a variety of capacities including area Adopt-a-Highway cleanup efforts, Special Olympics events, food drives and Salvation Army activities. Through FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) she has participated in a number of activities for those in need.

She supplements her community-service efforts with two area volunteer fire companies – Smithfield Township Volunteer Fire Department and Ridgebury Volunteer Fire Co. – that have hosted benefit events in the region.

Stevens’ extracurricular activities include Student Council and Future Business Leaders of America.

The annual Student Government Seminar hosted by Yaw enables students from high schools throughout the 23rd District to meet with elected officials, members of the state’s executive branch, representatives of special-interest groups and members of the news media for a day of panel discussions providing insights into the workings of state government.

Penn College is a special mission affiliate of Penn State, committed to applied technology education.

For more information about the college, which is celebrating its centennial throughout 2014, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

Last Updated May 28, 2014

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