Many years ago, a 19-year-old college co-ed, who had a vision for her future and a desire to make something of her life, applied for a scholarship from a professional women’s organization. She wasn’t convinced that it was worth the effort she put into the application this time because the organization had passed over her application the previous year, when she submitted it as a high school senior. This time around, she wasn’t even sure the organization awarded scholarships to women who were already in college.

 As she read the request-for-applications notice published in the local newspaper while she was home for Christmas break, she remembered how it had stung to be passed over the previous year. With her mother’s ‘what have you got to lose’ comment still ringing in her ears, she decided to apply again.

Yes, this 19-year-old co-ed was me. And to make a long story short, I will tell you that I met with the scholarship committee of this women’s club and, though they usually didn’t award scholarships to women already in college, I did receive one.

I don’t remember how much it was, but I do have two memories about that meeting.
The first is how determined I felt about earning my degree and really wanting this committee to understand that. I remember how excited I was as I shared my career goals and, in particular, telling them I wanted to make my community better. Secondly, I remember one member telling me how impressed the committee was that I submitted an application for a scholarship that I didn’t receive the year before and technically didn’t qualify for the following year. 

Marilyn King
President, Altrusa of Columbus
kings78@earthlink.net
614-370-9283

Altrusa International of Columbus Ohio Foundation in cooperation with The Ohio State University (OSU) Critical Difference for Women (CDW) program annually funds $1,000 re-entry scholarships to assist women who have interrupted their education, at any level, for at least two years and who intend to earn a degree at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional school level.

The 2011-12 academic year scholarship awardees are: Chelsea R. Anders of Columbus, OH, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences studying in the film studies/theatre program and Ann C. Barrett of Worthington, OH, a senior in the College of Allied Medical Professions studying in the medical dieticians program.

During the 2012-13 academic year, Altrusa International of Columbus Ohio Foundation will provide a $5,000 grant to CDW that will provide five $1,000 scholarships for students who meet the criteria and eligibility of the Critical Difference for Women Scholarship Program.

At the Thursday, February 2, 2012, Altrusa meeting to be held at the Columbus Literacy Council, located at 92 Jefferson Avenue in Columbus, meeting participants will hear comments about the OSU Assistant Director for the Women's Place Jennifer Beard and letters from the recipients will be read. The meeting will feature a meal prepared by the students of the Literacy Council, which also receives funds from the Altrusa International of Columbus Ohio Foundation.

I am a fourth-year senior here at The Ohio State University with plans of graduating -- God willing-- in the fall of 2012.

I am enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts seeking a bachelor’s degree in film studies with a minor in theatre. My areas of study are leaning more towards the production side of film as I hope to become a video editor when I graduate.

Because I am what one would consider a non-traditional student, my time here at Ohio State has been wrought with a few obstacles including financial struggles and balancing school with child rearing and employment. Still, I try to achieve the highest standards in my education, so as not to belittle the blessing I have been given as a recipient of the Altrusa scholarship

As a single mother, I am aware of the importance a good example sets in the eyes of a child and am very proud of far I’ve come with the help of this scholarship.

So I say thank you all for making my education that much more attainable.

Chelsea Anders

Dear Altrusans,

I am sorry I cannot be there for the reception on February 2, but, unfortunately, I have late classes on Thursdays this quarter that I am not able to miss. I just wanted to take a moment and tell you about all of the great things that your scholarship has enabled me to do this year and just how indebted I am to you.

I am currently finishing up my senior year at The Ohio State University in the Medical Dietetics coordinated undergraduate program. As part of my program, I get to experience three quarters of dietetic internships that, along with my classroom education, will enable me to be able to take the exam to become a registered dietitian (RD) immediately after graduation in June.

I began my internships last summer at the University of North Dakota through the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) internship program. I got to work in every aspect of food service from the bakery to event planning, as well as do many special projects with their campus dietitian. The highlight of my time there was getting to spend a day shadowing the chief dietitian at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, ND, learning about and sparking my interest in food and nutrition research.  Upon returning to Columbus, I was placed with RDs from Dietary Solutions, a consulting company which works with several different long term care facilities in the central Ohio area.  With the guidance of my preceptors, I got to do nutrition assessments on a wide variety of people, from rehab to tube feedings to Alzheimer's patients. In fall quarter I was given the opportunity to further my clinical knowledge with an internship at MedCentral Health System in Mansfield, OH, experiencing an even wider variety of patients from various backgrounds, providing nutrition education and assisting doctors with writing nutrition support orders. 

Without your generosity in this scholarship, I would be forced to work nights or weekends, rarely seeing my 11-year-old daughter, just to get by. But instead I have been granted the amazing opportunity to spend time focusing on my internships, my studies, and my daughter. 

This quarter, I am finishing up the last of my coursework for my degree, writing a research thesis looking at the relationship between depression, physical activity, and obesity, and I have been hired as an undergraduate teaching assistant for EEOB 232, Introductory Physiology. I am the Community Education Chair for the Student Dietetic Association on campus, helping coordinate our volunteer efforts with Mid-Ohio Foodbank, healthy bake sales, and cooking meals at the Ronald McDonald House. I recently completed graduate school applications to the Ohio State Clinical Nutrition MS program, Food Science MS program, and Integrated Biomedical Science Graduate program, to try to advance myself even further upon graduation.

But deep down, all of my scholastic accomplishments really mean nothing if I cannot share them with my family and my young daughter, and because of your generosity I am getting to spend my weekends this winter watching my daughter play basketball instead of having to work an extra part-time job.  And that makes all the difference in the world, which words can never truly explain.

Thank you for making this possible for a woman who used to weigh over 320 pounds and thought she would never be able to obtain a bachelor's degree. Thank you for making this possible for my daughter, Audre, who now has her own aspirations to go to college. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Ann Barrett
The Ohio State University
Medical Dietetics Class of 2012

No FOOLING about it, April 5, 2012, is the membership recruitment meeting for Altrusa of Columbus. It's time to get SERIOUS now and think about your friends, co-workers and others who are potential new members of our club!

Lois Borin and I, membership committee co-chairs, encourage you to bring at least one potential member to the April 5 meeting.

The meeting will be held at the J Liu Restaurant, 6880 North High Street, Worthington, OH 43085. Come and join in the fun and conversation, tasty hors d’ oeuvres, and purchase a wine or other drink if you like.

Again, please come, BRING A GUEST, for the 6:00 pm. social time or the 6:30 pm. meeting time at J Liu’s.

Thank you to the 17 Altrusans who responded to the electronic survey for Altrusa service projects for 2011-2012 in January. For your review,the results of the survey are shown below.

Number of Altrusans and percent of survey respondents who indicated that they participated in Altrusa service project/s during 2011-12:
10 (71.4%) Volunteered at YWCA Make a Difference Day (MADD) project
10 (71.4%) Donated or delivered cookies for Project Help holiday project
3 (21.4%) Participated in the holiday gift wrapping at Common Grounds
7 (50%) Organized, sorted and/or distributed Books and Bears

Number of Altrusans and percent of survey respondents who indicated that the project/s should be continued in the 2012-13:
13 (76.5%) Volunteer at YWCA MMDD project
13 (76.5%) Donate or deliver cookies for Project Help holiday project
8 (47.1%) Participate in the holiday gift wrapping at Common Grounds
16 (94.1%) Organize, sort and/or distribute Books and Bears

New service projects Altrusa could consider during the 2012-13 program year:

• Volunteer or organize a one-time event at the Columbus Literacy Council.(two responses).
• Pick a month to donate clothing to Dress for Success or similar organization.
• Pick a month to collect and donate items to YWCA in addition to MADD.
• Expand the YWCA service project, e.g., help serve a dinner or lunch there.
• Wrap holiday gifts in Columbus similar to the Common Grounds project in Delaware.
• Visit or do a MADD project at the Rosemont Center or St. Vincent Family Center to learn about another community need and the efforts to address it.
• Do one large project, e.g., expand the partnership with the Women's Fund or other group.
• Contribute to the Food Bank or other food pantries. 
• Help the Somali Community.

Suggestions/observations to improve Altrusa service opportunities:

• Participate in hands-on projects (two responses) while still having monetary/donation opportunities. The projects that we can show up and do without too much planning are great as we do a lot of planning on other fundraising, etc.
• Plan MADD activities in coordination with other groups. The YWCA is a worthy cause, but we have lost some of the "global" impact feel of coordinating activities on the actual MADD.
• Consider a different project for MADD.
• I was confused about the MADD project, namely, what would we be doing and how would it help. I would have liked to know that, not just where to go.
• Most of the projects are in the fall. Is there a possibility for spring project?
• Contact two or three of our grant organizations and explore if there are ways we can increase our participation with these already established sources, e.g., Critical Differences for Women where the women may have other social, emotional and family needs; Women's Fund, Literacy Council and the library.
• Provide focus and leadership for Altrusa service projects.
• Engage in any project that help the homeless of financially struggling families.                                                                             
• At Common Grounds gift wrapping event,  it was such a nightmare to find a parking space on that Friday night. However, I did enjoy wrapping the gifts and interacting with the people who came to get gifts that evening. So, I am having second thoughts about it. If it isn’t held when First Friday is being held in Delaware, making parking nearly impossible, then I would definitely be willing to do it again.