Three Thiel College students selected for civic engagement and global leadership scholarship

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Three Thiel College students have been selected for the annual Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership. Each student will receive a $5,000 grant for their first international trip to study abroad in a country of their choosing.

Chace Gifford ’20, of Buffalo, N.Y.; Jessica Peters ’21, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Marissa Ramirez ’20, of Amherst, Ohio will travel abroad to study, engage with local communities, and to develop their global awareness during the 2019 summer.

• Gifford, a 2016 graduate of Buffalo City Honors School (N.Y.) at FMP, is a chemistry and pre-medical major and will study in Greece.
• Peters, a 2017 graduate of Avonworth (Pa.) High School, is an accounting and business administration double major and will study in Argentina.
• Ramirez, a 2016 graduate of Amherst Steele (Ohio) High School, is a history secondary education major and will study in Ghana.

            “We are confident that our summer 2019 recipients will have, like our past recipients, an amazing international experience,” Thiel College Campus Coordinator for the program and Professor of Sociology Cynthia Sutton, Ph.D., said, “ they will develop enhanced leadership abilities, will gain deeper insights into their place in a global community, and will be excellent representatives of Thiel College.”

            Thiel College is one of 14 colleges included in the program. The scholarship is offered to women with at least a 3.0 GPA, who have never traveled outside of the United States previously. Recipients will take classes or have an intensive internship in the country of their choosing.

Funded by the Heinz Endowments, the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership prepares women for tomorrow’s global challenges by offering a unique opportunity for international experiences, leadership development and community service. Each year, Thiel College is awarded three scholarships of at least $5,000 a piece to support student participation in this program. Three women of sophomore or junior status are selected from each of 15 regional colleges and universities and admitted to the two-year leadership program.

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