GREENVILLE, Pa.—Vira I. Heinz Program recently awarded scholarships to three Thiel College students to support the students’ first international travel experiences in the summer of 2025.
Juniors Shalondra Santos ’26 and Savanna Welch ’26 and sophomore Cydney Wierzbowski ’27 were notified in late November that they won the scholarship. The grants are offered to women, non-binary, and transgender students with a minimum 3.0 GPA, who have never traveled outside of the United States before. The program participants are awarded a summer study abroad scholarship of at least $5,000.
Santos, a 2022 Okeechobee High School graduate from Okeechobee, Fla., is majoring in counseling psychology and sociology. She will travel to Costa Rica to study environmental studies, health care, liberal arts, and the Spanish language program.
“I was so excited and proud of myself and my fellow scholarship winners when we all received the letter. I look forward to embracing this life-changing opportunity that will allow me to immerse myself in my culture, expand my academic horizons, and gain valuable experiences,” Santos said. “I hope to be able to develop myself personally and professionally from this.”
Welch, a 2022 Sharpsville High School graduate from Sharpsville, Pa., is majoring in English and will travel to London.
“I am so grateful to have this opportunity,” Welch said.
Wierzbowski, a 2023 graduate from Derry Area High School from Derry Pa., is majoring in business administration and plans to travel to Portugal.
“I am so grateful that Thiel has given me the tools to access opportunities like the Vira Heinz Scholarship,” Wierzbowski said. “It was amazing to see the support from my professors when I announced I was a recipient.”
“I am, as always, very appreciative that Thiel College is involved with the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership, which provides support for outstanding young women to have an international summer experience supported by excellent pre-and post-travel programming,” Vira Heinz Coordinator and Professor of Sociology Cynthia Sutton, Ph.D. said.
Thiel College is one of 14 colleges included in the program. Recipients will take classes or have an intensive internship in the country of their choosing.
The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership, funded by the Heinz Endowments, prepares women for tomorrow’s global challenges through three main components, including a summer study abroad experience, a community engagement project, and two weekend-long intensive leadership development retreats.
“While all the components are integral to the overall experience and opportunity to expand one’s world view and leadership potential, I think most of our recipients would argue that the international experience (a minimum 28-day course of study in a single country) is perhaps the most impactful,” Sutton said. “The immersive international study is a life-altering experience for our recipients.”
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.