University of Dayton
Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund Scholarship Recipient
This year’s Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Scholarship Award recipient is Kanwaldeep K. Singh, a 2018 YWCA Rising Star known as Kim. She completed that program’s certification as a Board and Equity Leader, then went on to participate in the YWCA’s 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge and the Stand Against Racism Challenge. All her activities complement the mission of this long-standing scholarship. Kim is currently employed by the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities. With a B.A. in psychology (and a minor in women’s studies) and a MA in clinical mental health counseling, Kim is already making an impact in the region through her work and community activities. As she waits for the fate of loan forgiveness and deals with mortgaging her house to pay for her studies, help from this scholarship will enable her to complete her Ph.D. at the University of Dayton in organizational leadership. Her dissertation topic focuses on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in social service organizations, with special emphasis on social justice advocacy and mental health.
Her nominator says, “I am so happy that we can continue to provide Kim with a springboard via this scholarship. She is the first ever Rising Star to receive this award!”
Fifth Third Bank, Trustee
In 1908, Jacob Godfrey Schmidlapp created the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund to memorialize his young daughter who was killed at the age of 19. The Fund, created to “ennoble, empower and uplift” young women and girls, began by awarding interest-free loans to aid young women in pursuit of higher education. 115 years later, the Fund is still supporting the clients of the YWCA. In 2008, the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee, created an endowment for a scholarship to provide financial support for women participating in YWCA programs.
Oyler School
Mamie Earl Sells Scholarship Recipient
Mohagany L. Wooten embraces the motto of the Mamie Earls Scholarship “to lift as we climb.” Soon to graduate Oyler School as valedictorian, Mohagany made a conscious decision to assist others and mentally put behind her the domestic violence that plagued her household for so many years. The straight A student participates in a variety of school activities while working 30 hours a week. She discovered that other students were taking note of her positive attitude and drive for success. So Mahogany organized small groups where peers could work together and help each other excel. Mohagany says, “As I grow older I’ve come to realize that doing things alone is hard and you can become easily discouraged if you feel as though no one is there to help you. I don’t want to see any of my friends falling behind, especially if I can help them deal with things inside or outside of school.”
She wisely says, “I’ve noticed that women experience a lot of judgment and many expectations are held of us, and it is hard to be the picture-perfect image that our peers expect us to be, which is even more reason why we should empower other women and lift each other up to create a better society view of women.”
Presented by Kroger
Since 1993, YWCA has been presenting this scholarship to a Black high school senior woman for outstanding academic achievements and qualities of leadership, extracurricular involvement and community service as well as the ability to overcome adversity.
Sign up for emails to get updates straight to your inbox.
