Alpha Kappa Alpha Awards Student Scholarships

POUGHKEEPSIE – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Iota Alpha Omega Chapter and Mid-Hudson Ivy Foundation, Inc. are proud to announce the 2020 scholarship recipients. The Mid-Hudson Ivy Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit charitable organization and the philanthropic arm of Iota Alpha Omega Chapter. Their mission is to provide scholarships to high school seniors and provide resources which sponsor and promote programs to residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley.

Over the past fifty years, the Mid-Hudson Ivy Foundation, Inc. and its predecessors have been able to assist over 130 high school students further their education through attending college. The Mid-Hudson Ivy Foundation Inc. has been able to award over $125,000 in collegiate scholarships to high school seniors in the Mid-Hudson Valley area.

Graduating is a big achievement under any circumstance. This year has been exceptional due to the global pandemic. With the use of technology the scholarship committee was able to conduct meetings and interviews to ensure the deserving students of the Mid-Hudson Valley did not miss out.

This year, even in a pandemic, they had an outstanding number of phenomenal students apply. Now, they are happy to announce their 2020 Book Awards and Scholarship Recipients.

The HBCU Book Award Recipient is Briana Hutchinson of Newburgh Free Academy who will be attending North Carolina A&T. The recipient of the Karen Faulding-Sorlie Memorial Book Award is Jhanai Scott of Roy C. Ketcham High School who will be attending New York University.

The five Book Award recipients are as follows: Dior Gillins of Beacon High School, attending University at Buffalo; Iseabailla Hewitt of John Jay High School, attending Sacred Heart University; Kai Mannino of Stissing Mountain High School, attending Bard College; Katelyn Rosa of Beacon High School, attending the University of Albany; and John Torpey of Pine Bush High School, attending Middlebury College. The Betty E. White Collegiate Scholarship recipient is Mikayla Quinn of Stissing Mountain High School who will be attending St. Lawrence University.

Last year’s Betty E. White Collegiate Scholarship winner, Deeya Modhwadiya, a graduate of Newburgh Free Academy, reminds our recipients, “We are going through something that no one ever imagined would occur. Although times are unexpected and unusual, we will persevere as we have done in the past. Keep pushing. Keep thinking. Most importantly do not stop learning. Congratulations for how far you have come so far. Life is indeed short so as you begin your college journey make sure to enjoy each and every moment to the fullest.” Deeya attends Boston University.

The MHIF Committee, Anne Archer-Rutty, Celestine Campbell (Chairman), Sonya D. Fiol-Grant (Chapter President), Anquinette Hayles, Kim Jarratt,Renee Springate-Lewis, Sherre Wesley (Foundation President), Lorna Woodside, Joy Young and all its members congratulate all the 2020 Graduates.