Scholarships
Marylou Motto, co-chair of the Scholarship Committee, presented Tanya with her scholarship award
Scholarship Committee member Lorna Ness presented Julia with her scholarship.
(Not pictured)
Scholarship Committee member Molly Ball presented Elizabeth with her award.
Barbara Sayres, of the Scholarship Committee, presented Winnie with her award
Scholarship Committee member Susan Abely presented Manaal with her scholarship award.
Each year, the Summit College Club awards financial scholarships to young women from the surrounding area in New Jersey who have been selected for their academic record and leadership qualities. The number of scholarships awarded, and the amount of each award, may vary from year to year. Since its inception, Summit College Club has awarded roughly $1 million in scholarship money, helping hundreds of young women attend the college of their choice.
Eligibility
Scholarships may be awarded to residents of Summit, Berkeley Heights, Chatham, Millburn, New Providence and Springfield, New Jersey. Applicants should be in their senior year. Also eligible are daughters of individuals who have been Summit College Club members for three or more years.
Application Process
Members of the Scholarship Committee work closely with the Guidance Offices of high schools in the towns listed above. The Guidance Offices coordinate the application process, ensuring that eligible young women in their schools are aware of the opportunity and checking that all applications are complete before they are submitted to the Scholarship Committee. Typically, applications are due around March 1. The application consists of: applicant information, including an academic and extra-curricular resume; academic transcript; written recommendations from (1) the applicant’s guidance counselor and (2) a teacher or other academic reference; and a written essay that addresses a question posed by the Committee.
The Scholarship Committee reviews all of the applications and, from the pool of applicants, selects those applicants who will be offered interviews. From this smaller pool, the final recipients are chosen. Awards are usually made in June. The scholarship is paid directly to each recipient in the form of a check.
Available Scholarships
The Tilla Thomas Scholarship, awarded each year from the Tilla Thomas Bequest, is given to a woman student who has achieved academic excellence and demonstrated leadership potential at Summit High School.
The Mary Tennant Scholarship, awarded each year from the Mary Tennant Bequest, is given to a woman student who has achieved academic excellence and demonstrated leadership potential.
The Kathi C. Madison M.D. Scholarship, awarded each year from the Caroline Madison Endowment, is given to a woman student who plans to pursue a career in science.
The Summit College Club Foundation Scholarships are awarded to one or more women students who have achieved academic excellence and demonstrated leadership potential.
How to Apply
Please contact your high school guidance counselor if you are interested in applying for a Summit College Club Scholarship. The process typically begins in late January.
Introducing the 2024 Summit College Club Scholarship Recipients
Tanya Dev was awarded the Tilla Thomas Merit Scholarship, which is given to a Summit High School senior who has shown both academic excellence and leadership potential. In addition to having a “sea of A’s” on her transcript at SHS, Tanya co-founded the Girls’ Club of Summit, which focuses on a different women’s issue every month. The club has provided food to the homeless, fundraised for Ukraine, and collected clothing for women seeking employment. Most impressively, Tanya was interviewed on WABC Eyewitness News when she successfully raised over $24,000 for oxygen supplies for India during the COVID crisis, using social media. As a member of the debate team for two years, Tanya competed at the NJ State quarter-final levels. Tanya plays field hockey, has captained a club team, and helps run a weekly hockey clinic for younger girls. She loves horses, too, and volunteers her time to feed and groom them at a stable. Her guidance counselor cites her “selfless, service-oriented, and compassionate nature.” In the fall, she will attend Tufts University where she plans to major in political science and economics with an eye toward a law degree in the future.
Julia Nugent, a student at Chatham High School, was awarded the Mary K. Tennant Scholarship, given each year to a young woman who is a high school senior and has demonstrated academic excellence and leadership potential. Julia took numerous challenging Honors and AP courses, from English Composition and Spanish literature to Calculus and Statistics, Chemistry, and Physiology, while maintaining an outstanding GPA. She was selected as a lab assistant by several of her teachers, earned the Bell Award for Technology, and was nominated for the Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology at Rutgers for her accomplishments and leadership in STEM fields. Dancing is Julia’s passion, and with the Dance Innovations and Performance Company she has performed at venues such as Disney World, Universal Studios, and Martha Graham Studio. She’s also part of the Envision Dance Exchange, which brings together able-bodied dancers with those who have developmental and intellectual challenges; she has spearheaded performances that raise money for scholarships in the arts for children with special needs. As a Girl Scout, Julia has won the Silver and Gold Awards, the highest honors in Girl Scouting. She is a member of the LINKS Executive Board, a Chatham High School club that welcomes and mentors freshmen. Julia was also a Team Leader of St. Patrick’s Church Youth Ministry. Julia will attend the University of Richmond in the fall to pursue her joint passions for dance and biology.
Mahrukh Khizar, a senior at Kent Place School, was awarded the Kathi C. Madison Scholarship, which is given each year to an outstanding women student who plans to pursue a career in the sciences. One of her teachers described Mahrukh as a “voracious pursuer of truth, knowledge and equity.” She was. Mahrukh’s parents immigrated from Pakistan, and she speaks fluent Urdu. She is a founder and president of the Kent Place Asian-Pacific Islander’s Cultural Association. She also founded a STEM program for Pakistani girls. Having witnessed poverty first-hand in Pakistan, Mahrukh is a dedicated volunteer at the Community Food Bank of NJ. She is president of the Teen Leadership Council, and is also president of her school’s math club. As a junior, she was inducted into the National High School Mathematics Honor Society; she also founded her school’s Science Olympiad Team. She is vice president of the Future Business Leaders of America Club and serves on the school newspaper. Finally, Mahrukh is a flourishing artist as well. She will attend Tufts University in the fall, where she plans to major in neuroscience and anthropology; she hopes to study medicine after college. Ellie Redington, co-chair of the Scholarship Committee, presented Mahrukh with her award.
Elizabeth Davies, a student at New Providence High School, has achieved an impressive academic record. She was inducted into the National Honor Society as she maintained a 4.2 cumulative GPA from grade 9. She is a member of the Science National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, and is Vice President of the Future Medical Professionals Club. She has been on the NPHS soccer team for four years. As a member of the Girl Scouts, Elizabeth has supported the homeless survivors of domestic violence; she is also a member of a Church Youth Group that is involved in charitable efforts such as feeding the homeless. In addition to having a very demanding academic schedule and engaging in service activities, Elizabeth somehow found the time to take two health-related courses at Rutgers and, last year, to become a cadet member of the New Providence EMS. This fall Elizabeth plans to major in the prestigious Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Program at Quinnipiac University, followed by a master’s degree in Pathology. Elizabeth was awarded a Summit College Club Foundation Scholarship.
Winnie Grober is graduating from Governor Livingston High School as a member of the National Honor Society, the Italian Club, and the Debate Team. Winnie has exceptional creative and musical talents: she plays the cello, bass, ukelele, mandolin and guitar. She is a member of the school jazz band and orchestra. She also performs with her sister in an indie-folk band, Sisters G, which recently released its first album containing the award-winning song Forever More which Winnie composed. Winnie also wrote and published a novel. She has been in the entertainment business since age 3, with credits in TV, film, commercials, voiceovers and theater. Winnie has earned a 3rd-degree black belt in Taekwondo and is an instructor in the sport. She is also a private tutor, a volunteer in her church youth group, and works in childcare at her YMCA. This fall, Winnie plans to pursue a major in screenwriting at Belmont University. Winnie was awarded a Summit College Club Foundation Scholarship.
Manaal Qureshi, a senior at Chatham High School, was also awarded a Summit College Club Foundation Scholarship. One of her counselors said that Manaal “stands out as a student who wants to make a difference in the world and is taking action toward making a positive impact on her school and community.” Manaal is the chief operating officer of CS Base, a national non-profit STEM organization with 45 chapters nationwide that seeks to provide students of all levels with access to comprehensive computer science education. Her work there earned her a community service award from NJ State Senator John Bramnick. She also earned the Girl Scouts Gold Award for her computer model to automate trash detectors in rivers. Manaal is President of her school’s Women’s Empowerment Club; a founding member of the Refugee Club; President of the Research Club; and member of the debate team, the robotics club, the fencing team, and the CHS Model UN. Manaal also wrote and published an article in the Journal of High School Science. She will be attending Georgetown University in the fall and plans to major in economics and computer science research.
Congratulations to these outstanding young women. Summit College Club is proud to support your continuing education, and we look forward to seeing your accomplishments and leadership continue to blossom in the future.