RENO, Nev. — The Nevada Women’s Fund (NWF) has awarded over $420,000 in scholarships to 114 women in Northern Nevada for the 2023/2024 school year, the largest allocation in the fund’s 40-year history. This significant achievement was made possible, in part, through a generous $100,000 donation from SilverSummit HealthPlan.
“The Nevada Women’s Fund scholarship program supports education and career advancement for women while supporting our local business partners with opportunities to contribute to workforce development and the advancement of women in our community,” said Ila Achtabowski, president and CEO of NWF. “This exciting partnership with SilverSummit HealthPlan helps us achieve our mission of ensuring a strong, well-educated female workforce in Northern Nevada.”
Individual scholarships ranged from $2,000 to $7,000 and will assist local women pursuing higher education in a variety of fields including nursing, medicine, criminal justice, business, science and education. Local recipients represent diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and ages, ranging from 18 to 46.
Additionally, the $100,000 donation from SSHP has allowed the NWF to award 12 local women scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $7,000. These recipients are members of SSHP, which offers quality healthcare for Nevada Medicaid and Nevada Check Up members.
“SilverSummit Healthplan is proud to support the Nevada Women’s Fund and its mission to empower women in our state. We are especially honored to recognize and congratulate this year’s scholarship recipients,” said CEO and president of SilverSummit, Eric Schmacker. “We are inspired by the dedication of this year’s scholarship recipients, and we hope to follow their stories as they continue to make an impact in Nevada. We are committed to continuing our support of the Nevada Women’s Fund and their mission to empower women in the state. Together, we can create a brighter future for Nevada.”
Since its inception in 1982, the NWF has distributed more than $9.5 million in scholarships and grants to empower achievement in women and families in Northern Nevada. Though the dollar amount is significant, the impact of educating women goes beyond a measurable scope.
“This particular scholarship meant so much more to me because it came from a community foundation that I hold in high esteem, the Nevada Women’s Fund,” said NFL Raiders President and NWF Scholarship Alum Sandra Douglass Morgan.
The scholarship and grant awards support NWF’s mission of inspiring achievement in women and families to reach their full potential. To learn more about the Nevada Women’s Fund, visit nevadawomensfund.org or call (775) 786-2335.
###
About the Nevada Women’s Fund:
Established in 1982, Nevada Women’s Fund (NWF) was formed to empower achievement in Northern Nevada women and families. The Nevada Women’s Fund is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, dedicated to strengthening our community by empowering women to uplift their lives and those of their families through education and career advancement. Over 40 years, NWF has awarded more than $9.5 million to Northern Nevada women, families and non-profit community organizations. Visit NevadaWomensFund.org for more information.