McKean County Community Foundation
January 8, 2026
Published by Shelley Harvey
The Zonta Club Bradford has established its scholarship as an endowed fund - the Zonta Club Bradford-Ruth B. Fisher Scholarship Fund - at the McKean County Community Foundation. The club plans to award four $1,000 scholarships in 2026.
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The Zonta Club scholarship, along with more than 60 additional McKean County scholarship funds held at the Foundation, will be open for applications from January 15 through February 25, 2026. All scholarship applications are submitted through an online portal that can be accessed at the Foundation’s website at the link in the comments below.
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This scholarship honors the memory of Ruth B. Fisher, a Bradford native, and a highly active Zonta Club member for 23 years. Upon her death in 1978, she named the Zonta Club Bradford as a beneficiary of her estate and, with her generous bequest, Zonta Club leaders established this scholarship in her memory. The Zonta Club Bradford has entrusted the scholarship to be administered and awarded through the McKean County Community Foundation on an annual basis.
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The qualifications for the scholarship are in keeping with the mission of Zonta International, which empowers women through service and advocacy, by providing financial assistance to qualified women seeking promising career opportunities. It is open to senior female students graduating from Bradford Area High School who are pursuing higher education at an accredited institution. Additional criteria that will be considered include work experience, community service, and extracurricular activities. Special consideration may be given to an applicant who is related to a Zonta Club member.
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"We are very pleased to partner with the McKean County Community Foundation to administer our scholarship and to ensure its longevity far into the future," said Zonta Club scholarship committee co-chairs Karen Buchheit and Linda Gault. They noted students will benefit from an easier process for accessing and submitting the scholarship application using the foundation portal.
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The McKean County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies, is a non-profit organization that strives to strengthen our region through development, stewardship and grant making as it collaborates with donors to achieve their philanthropic goals.
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To access the scholarship, click on the button below.
PHOTO: From left - Sharon Peet, Zonta Club Bradford scholarship committee member; Karen Buchheit, Zonta Club scholarship committee co-chair; Tiffany Boschert, McKean County Community Foundation Executive Director; Carma Horner, Zonta Club treasurer; Linda Gault, Zonta Club scholarship committee co-chair; and Carol Shannon, Zonta Club scholarship committee member.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The Zonta Club of Bradford
Ruth B. Fisher Scholarships winners for the Bradford Area High School Class of 2025 were awarded to Lilian Erickson, Isabella Prince, Isabella Rhoades, and Lily Wells.
Welcome
Amelia Earhart 2025 Honorees
January 8, 2025
Amelia Earnhardt was an American hero who was a Zontian. She became famous for her daring solo flight across America and was attempting a solo flight around the world. She also was well known for encouraging women to follow their dreams.
Today the Zonta Club of Bradford honored six senior girls from Bradford Area High School who are doing just that. They were nominated by their high school guidance counselors based on their abilities to always face forward. Guest speaker Shelley Alcorn, Executive Director of CASA of McKean County.
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We are proud to recognize the following young ladies:
Mackenzie Acor
Makayla Correa
Makaylla Kagarise
Jordan Johnston
Annabel Taylor
Ashlyn Zielinski
LOCAL
Ruth B. Fisher Scholarship
Ruth B. Fisher was a dedicated member of the Zonta Club of Bradford for 23 years and upon her death the club was named as one of her beneficiaries. To honor her memory, the club has been awarding scholarships annually to local high school seniors and students at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford since 1978.
Three of the four 2024 scholarship winners, from left, Sydney Hamer, Korie Dixon and Caitlyn Taylor. Also earning a scholarship, but not pictured, was Carly Evers.
Zonta Club of Bradford awards scholarships
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Jun 17, 2024
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The Zonta Club of Bradford awarded four $1,000 Ruth B. Fisher Memorial Scholarships to Bradford Area High School seniors.
The students were honored Wednesday at a luncheon held at the Bradford Club. The 2024 recipients are Korie Dixon, Carly Evers, Sydney Hamer and Caitlyn Taylor.
Ruth B. Fisher was a dedicated member of the Zonta Club of Bradford for 23 years. Upon her death the club was named as one of her beneficiaries. To honor her memory, the club has been awarding scholarships annually to local high school seniors and students at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
INTERNATIONAL
Amelia Earhart Fellowship
Established in 1938 in honor of famed pilot and Zontian, Amelia Earhart, the Amelia Earhart Fellowship is awarded annually to women pursuing Ph.D./doctoral degrees in aerospace-related sciences or aerospace-related engineering. The Fellowship of US$10,000, awarded to 35 Fellows around the globe each year, may be used at any university or college offering accredited post-graduate courses and degrees in these fields.
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In 2019 and 2021, Zonta International was pleased to support the Zonta International Women in Technology Scholarships to encourage women to pursue education, career opportunities and leadership roles in information technology. In June 2022, the Zonta International membership voted to continue the program with an expanded focus on all STEM fields, not only technology.
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The 2023 Women in STEM recipients will receive an international scholarship of US$5,000 from Zonta International.
MEET Alisa Douglas,
2023 Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Scholarship District 4 Recipient
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Congratulations to Alisa Douglas, winner of Zonta Hamilton 1 Women in STEM Award and one of 2 Canadian women chosen for the Zonta International STEM Award!
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As an iBIOMED student at McMaster University, Alisa felt she was provided with opportunities to experience various aspects of biomedical engineering research. Alisa is currently completing her graduate work in the Jeschke Lab in the Centre for Burn Research, and she sees herself conducting medical research in a hospital lab or as a professor in the future!
“The Women in STEM Scholarship will provide me, foremost, with a great sense of pride and accomplishment. It is confirmation that my hard work is paying off and with encouragement to pursue my goals. Although much of my living and tuition costs are subsidized by my graduate scholarship I would like to use the generous monetary component to pay my travel and registration expenses at the 9th Annual Canadian Burn Conference.”
Jane m. Klausman women in business scholarship
This scholarship is awarded annually to women pursuing undergraduate or master's degrees in business management. It was established in 1998 from a generous bequest by Jane M. Klausman, a member of the Zonta Club of Syracuse, New York USA. Ms Klausman was also the 1990-1995 Zonta International Parliamentarian. The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship is awarded annually to women pursuing undergraduate or master's degrees in business management.
Young women in public affairs award
Zonta International believes young women are the key to women's advancement in the field of public service. The Young Women in Public Affairs (YWPA) Awards program recognizes young women for their demonstrated leadership skills and commitment to public service and civic causes and encourages them to continue their participation in public and political life.
Women in technology scholarship
The Women in Technology Scholarship program was established to encourage women to pursue education, career opportunities and leadership roles in technology-related fields. The program ultimately seeks to increase the representation of women leaders in technology and technological developments, which are having an impact on the world economy and societies across the globe