Scholarships to Five Michigan Women Women in Defense Michigan’s Horizon Scholarship has awarded over $150,000 to women pursuing careers in national security and defense since its 2009 inception
Detroit, Mich. – Established in 2009, the Horizon College Scholarship was created in order to provide support for women pursuing careers related to the national security and defense interests of the United States, and to provide development opportunities to women already working in these fields. Corporate and individual donations as well as Women in Defense Michigan (WID) fundraising efforts provide the amounts each year to support the scholarship program.
“National defense is a noble calling, yet is not always considered by young women across the United States,” said WID-MI Scholarship Director and project manager for Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) Fuel Cell Technology team, Maura Rylander. “In order to bolster young women entering the defense workforce, we provide them with mentorship, assist their educational development in S.T.E.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) related fields in order to encourage them to pursue a career in the defense industry.”
WID Michigan’s annual golf outing is one of the primary sources for fundraising for both high school and college scholarships. The 2022 outing enabled WID Michigan to award the following five women with $11,000 in college scholarships :
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Alexandra (Ally) Stavros, The University of Michigan, Excellence in Leadership Recipient (top scoring applicant)
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Alexandra (Allie) Brayton, Kettering University
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Ashley Everett, Madonna University
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LeAnn Krzewski, Oakland University
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Claudia Pilarski, Oakland University
“I am honored to be one of the recipients of the Horizon College Scholarship,” said former University of Michigan student, Alexandra (Ally) Stavros. “There are a number of young women entering the defense workforce who deserve this distinction, and I could not be more honored to represent young women just like me by accepting this award.”
WID Michigan will continue to raise funds for scholarships, with the 2023 Golf Outing planned for July 31. “The generous companies in our state’s defense industrial base continue to impress with donations and participation,” said Sue Tellier, WID-Michigan President and Owner of JetCo Federal. “We intend to continue providing an effective vehicle for their donations to help us recruit talented women into careers that help us protect the warfighter.”
To find out more about WID Michigan’s fundraising and scholarship opportunities, visit their website https://connect.ndia.org/widmichigan/home.
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About Women in Defense: Women in Defense (WID) Michigan Chapter, A National Security Organization, is a non-profit professional networking and development organization for women and men across Michigan who contribute to national defense and security. Formed in 2007, the Michigan Chapter strengthens and influences the defense and national security industry by inspiring women, cultivating leadership, and growing professional relationships. For more info on WID-MI visit their site at:https://connect.ndia.org/widmichigan/programs/horizonscholarship
