Bich Tran and Natalie Rothbauer both received assistance from international women’s organizations. P.E.O. International is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women. They motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations through scholarships, grants, awards, and loans. Soroptimist International is “a global volunteer organization working to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.”
Bich Tran
P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship
Bich Tran, a political science graduate student from Vietnam, was the local Illinois HP Chapter’s nominee for this scholarship. Tran received a local award from P.E.O., which was given at the International Women’s Day Breakfast sponsored by Soroptimist and the League of Women Voters. She has since been notified that she will be receiving an additional $5,000 International Peace Scholarship for the upcoming school year. Tran will be going on for her doctorate with her ultimate goal of returning to Vietnam to help her country in some type of ambassadorial capacity.
Natalie Rothbauer
Soroptimist Virginia Wagner Award
Natalie Rothbauer, a doctoral student in audiology from Lake in the Hills, Illinois, was named the Virginia Wagner award winner. This grant recognizes women residing in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, or Wisconsin based on effort towards education, scholarship, extra-curricular activities, financial need, and general impression. Rothbauer received $750 from the local Club at a Charter Dinner in which her mother attended as a guest. Here is an example of her work, “Hearing Loss Prevention and a Survey of Firefighters.” Two other Illinois State University graduate students, Natasha Schertz and Deepika Prasad, received runner-up awards of $100 each. Schertz is working on her mater’s degree in social work and works part-time as a residential treatment coordinator for The Baby Fold. Prasadis is working on her master’s degree in information technology.
