Cedar City WIB awards local scholarships, features ProjectSaSi founder at luncheon
The Independent
On Wednesday, June 17, the Cedar City Women In Business luncheon will feature ProjectSaSi founder Shirlayne Quayle discussing leadership. The luncheon will take place at Stonehaven Events Center from noon until 1 p.m.
Quayle is passionate about empowering women and girls as leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Her latest project, ProjectSaSi (Soulful, Authentic, Strong, Inspiring), instills girls and women with awareness, wisdom, and confidence and infuses communities with leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Quayle says that earning degrees in anthropology and business administration were pivotal in her personal SaSi journey.
Women in Business, a branch of the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce, helps provide educational and networking opportunities and raises scholarship funds for women in Iron County. The organization recently awarded over $6,000 in scholarships to local women. Tami Shugart, Women In Business Scholarship Chair, says that finances are a large factor in whether or not women can pursue higher education.
“This year, Women in Business decided to increase the number of awarded scholarships, helping local women pursue college degrees and education,” Shugart said. “These scholarships are possible to award due to the overwhelming generosity of our community who supported our annual fundraising efforts at the Pumpkin Festival and Women’s Expo.”
Women In Business awards scholarships annually to local graduating high school senior girls and non-traditional students who are women age 25 or older and returning to a college, university, or trade school after a minimum of a 3-year break.
The 2015 non-traditional scholarship recipients were Gaelynn Breinholt, Aimee Brown, Maycie Fox, and Karen Russell. Brown received the second highest scholarship of $1,000, and Fox and Russell both received $500 scholarships, which will help cover some of the tuition expenses that financial aid won’t cover. High school students Madeline Townsend, Whitney Mitchell, and Jayley Packwood also received scholarships. The top scholarship award of $1,500 went to Miranda Komarek from Cedar High School.
“I am very honored to receive a scholarship from WIB to help fund my education,” said Komarek. “My future plans and goals include doing an internship in Jackson Hole this summer working in a preschool, then going to SUU to achieve a degree in Elementary Education, and eventually being an elementary school teacher.”
Mitchell, a graduate from Canyon View High School, also expressed her gratitude for the scholarship.
“I am so excited and thrilled to go to college this year, and this scholarship will truly help me experience college to its fullest!” said Mitchell, who will use her scholarship to pursue a degree in visual arts at SUU this fall.
Women in Business holds a monthly luncheon on the third Wednesday of each month at Stonehaven Events Center. To find out more about attending monthly luncheons or how to participate in fundraising events, please visit cedarwomeninbusiness.com or Cedarcitychamber.org.
