The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation is home to over 200 individual scholarship funds. While many are for eligible high school seniors, there are also scholarships available for adults returning to college to complete their education or attending for the first time. Three scholarships that can help adult students reach their educational goals are the Chadwick Bay NYS Women Inc, Scholarship, the Ruth C. Stacy Counselor Scholarship, and the Benson-Cash Family Scholarship.

¯ The Chadwick Bay NYS Women Inc. Scholarship is available to women currently enrolled in college. NYS Women Inc.’s mission is “to build powerful women personally, professionally, and politically.” The scholarship builds on their vision “to make a difference in the lives of working women” and helps to fulfill the mission. Eligible applicants should have completed one semester of college with a GPA of 2.5 or above. Applicants are asked to submit an essay outlining their educational goals. Visit nccfoundation.org/cb-scholarship for more information.

¯ Dr. Ruth C. Stacy of Mayville, a skilled mental health and school counselor, strongly advocated for certified, experienced counselors. Dr. Stacy established the Ruth C. Stacy Counselor Scholarship in 2007 to assist students pursuing this path. Students accepted into an accredited mental health or school counseling Master’s Degree graduate program are encouraged to apply. For additional information, visit nccfoundation.org/stacy-scholarship.

¯ The Benson-Cash Family Scholarship assists adults who are currently in or have recently left the workforce and are applying for college or a trade school. Students may be changing jobs, retraining in their current position, looking to advance, or starting a new career path. Visit nccfoundation.org/bensoncash-scholarship for more information on this scholarship.

Completed scholarship applications should be returned to the NCCF by April 1. Applications can be submitted by mail to NCCF, 212 Lake Shore Drive West, Dunkirk, NY 14048, or faxed to 716-366-3905. For a complete list of scholarships available through NCCF, visit nccfoundation.org/scholarships-home. Contact Michele Starwalt-Woods, Scholarship Coordinator, with questions or for more information: scholarships@nccfoundation.org or 716-366-4892.

Since its incorporation in 1986, the NCCF has invested more than $20 million in northern Chautauqua County through strategic grantmaking, targeted scholarships, and leadership and community collaborations. The NCCF is a tax-exempt charitable organization inherently committed to enhancing the northern Chautauqua community and encouraging local philanthropy. As a nationally accredited community foundation, the NCCF has proven compliance with the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, demonstrating integrity, equity, accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in meeting the needs of its community. For more information on the NCCF, visit www.nccfoundation.org or call 716-366-4892.