GREENVILLE, Pa.—Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School senior, Grace Reid-Vensel, of Washington, Pa., won an academic scholarship worth $139,856 to Thiel College during a surprise presentation on January 19.
Reid-Vensel was one of five winners for 2023 from among a field of 136 applicants. She joins Natalie Hering, a senior from Berkshire High School, Bret Vilage, a senior from Norwin High School, and Cydney Wierzbowski, a senior from Derry Area High School. Reid-Vensel intends to major in political science and theatre.
Reid-Vensel was recently nominated to the Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania’s “18 Under Eighteen” Class of 2023, after forging a partnership with The Honey Pot, a menstrual product company, to make access to menstrual products at her high school more accessible. She has also started two non-profit, donation-driven Free Stores, one in her school and another in her community, that give people free access to clothing, necessities, and comfort objects. Reid-Vensel has been heavily involved in professional theatre for the past 10 years. She is the President of her high school’s Student Council, a Teen Board Member at Prime Stage Theater in Pittsburgh, has been a Pennsylvania Association of Student Council (PASC) Region A representative for the past two years, and was the winner of the PASC Distinguished Student Leader Award. Reid-Vensel has also been a varsity Cross Country and Track and Field athlete for three years and ran the Pittsburgh Half Marathon in 2022.
She is the daughter of John Paul and Stacy Vensel, and the older sister of Gabe Vensel.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.