PENTA scholarship celebrates 6 years of honoring future female leaders
WESTBOROUGH _ Achieving milestones academically, exhibiting leadership in all facets of school work and extra-curricular activities while making a difference in the community are some of the true signs of a future leader, according to Deborah Penta, CEO and founder of the Westborough-headquartered marketing firm, PENTA Communications, Inc.
This annual scholarship, founded by Penta in 2005, was designed to encourage college-bound female Westborough High School seniors, and was developed to inspire those female high school students who excel in academics, extra-curricular activities and community service to apply.
“Our past scholarship recipients have been inspirations to both their schools and to the entire community,” said Deborah Penta.
The most recent 2010 scholarship recipient, Madeline “Maddie” Fryer, said she was excited to be using this award to help in her pursuit of a higher education.
“The PENTA Female Leadership Scholarship is important to me because of what it stands for and the goals it will help me to reach. This scholarship is all about encouraging young women to actively improve their community, and I hope to use the award to further my education and take a larger role in advancing the lives of those around me,” Fryer said.
Past scholarship winner Lindsay Poole, the 2009 scholarship recipient, has used her scholarship to continue on her quest to be in broadcast journalism. Currently she is in her second year at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring in broadcast journalism, and minoring in Spanish.
“In the fall I will be studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain. Right now I’m in the process of looking for an internship in broadcast journalism for the summer,” Poole said. “The scholarship was a great help and Deborah Penta has been a wonderful connection to have.”
Kathryn Emily Wilchynski, the 2008 scholarship recipient said it was the leadership criteria in the scholarship requirements that stood out for her.
“A leader is not afraid to take charge and doesn’t follow the crowd,” said Wilchynski. “She is capable of guiding a group, and at the same time, considerate to others and willing to take suggestions.”
Nicole Pasternak Flynn, the 2007 PENTA Female Leadership Scholarship recipient said that when she was reading about the different scholarships available, PENTA’s scholarship stood out for her.
“I just saw it and said, ‘that’s me,'” Flynn said. “I really enjoy doing community service. I am a part of the National Honor Society, and as part of that, you must perform at least 20 hours of community service every half year.”
Emily Walsh, the first recipient of the Deborah A. Penta Female Leadership Scholarship said she was honored and humbled to be the first to receive the scholarship.
“I felt empowered by your acknowledgment to continue to work hard and to pursue my college degree,” Walsh wrote to Penta.
Walsh attended Stonehill College, located in Easton, MA. where she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Stonehill College with a major in Biology and minor in chemistry.
“I feel strongly that I used the qualities that you saw in me (in high school) while attending Stonehill,” she said, adding that she is attending a graduate program at the University of North Carolina and working to acquire a degree in Genetics Counseling.
“It’s a thrill and privilege to find out how these past scholarship recipients are soaring to new heights of success,” Penta said. “I am looking forward to this year’s applicants.”
Applications are currently being accepted now through April 2011. Criteria for the scholarship include: (1) must be a college-bound Westborough high school female student; (2) three letters of recommendation from school faculty members, or individuals who can explain how the applicant has demonstrated leadership qualities in her school, on her team, (3) committee or place of employment; (4) List any charitable work done during high school years; and (5) a 200-word essay explaining why applicant feels she should receive this scholarship.
Applicants should mail their submissions to: Deborah A. Penta Female Leadership Scholarship Committee, PENTA Communications, Inc., 182 Turnpike Road, Westborough, MA 01581.
Application deadline is April 18, 2011.