County of Greene/West Penn Power Scholarship recipients announced

Waynesburg University and the Greene County Commissioners recently announced ten Greene County high school seniors as recipients of the 2020 County of Greene/West Penn Power Scholarship.

The recipients include:

• Mari Rose Bowden (Jefferson-Morgan High School), daughter of James and Theresa Bowden, Jr., of Clarksville. She plans to study nursing.
• Jacob Caldwell (Waynesburg Central High School), son of Christopher and Amy Caldwell, Sr., of Mt. Morris. He plans to study nursing.
• Bree Echegaray (Waynesburg Central High School), daughter of Ronald and Tracy Echegaray of Waynesburg. She plans to study early childhood education.
• Alexis Feather (Carmichaels High School), daughter of Scott and Amy Feather of Rices Landing. She plans to study nursing.
• Christopher King (Waynesburg Central High School), son of Kirk and Lynn King of Waynesburg. He plans to study nursing.
• Savanah Milliken (West Greene High School), daughter of Samuel and Marsha Milliken of Waynesburg. She plans to study nursing.
• Jessica Moore (Waynesburg Central High School), daughter of Shane and Denise Moore of Waynesburg. She plans to study nursing.
• Abigail Ozohonish (Jefferson-Morgan High School), daughter of James and Tracy Ozohonish of Clarksville. She plans to study nursing.
• Kaitlyn Pratt (Carmichaels High School), daughter of Kelley Pratt of Carmichaels. She plans to study nursing.
• Kailey Stover (Mapletown High School), daughter of Leon Stover and Megan Smith of Greensboro. She plans to study biology (pre-medical).

Awarded annually, the scholarship presents a $1,000 award to each eligible graduating senior who plans to attend Waynesburg University. The money is to be used toward costs associated with their first year of enrollment.

“Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s County of Greene/West Penn Power Scholarship,” said Stacey Brodak, vice president for Institutional Advancement and University Relations. “We are thankful for the generous support of our many donors. Their commitment allows us to remain an affordable higher education option for students.”

We are proud of each of the applicants and wholeheartedly congratulate these students.”

Mike Belding, chairman of the Greene County Commissioners

Qualified students must have a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0 and be accepted to Waynesburg University as a new, non-transfer student. Applicants are also required to provide essay responses to two questions and submit a list of honors and activities.

Funding for the scholarship was made available through Allegheny Energy as part of an agreement reached with Greene County in 2008 related to the Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line (TrAIL) project. 

“We are pleased to continue this long-standing tradition of academic scholarship support with monies provided through a partnership of energy companies, the Greene County Commissioners and partnership with Waynesburg University,” said Mike Belding, chairman of the Greene County Commissioners. “We are proud of each of the applicants and wholeheartedly congratulate these students.”

In the agreement, Allegheny Energy subsidiary Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company (TrAILCo) agreed to contribute $750,000 to the county for educational, environmental, public health and community infrastructure projects.

In June 2009, the Greene County Commissioners and officials from Allegheny Energy – which in 2011 completed its merger with FirstEnergy – presented Waynesburg University with $100,000 to start the scholarship. A second $100,000 gift was presented in 2010. 

Then, in 2011, the Commissioners and officials from FirstEnergy made a final donation of $50,000 to the scholarship fund, bringing the total to $250,000 and ensuring the scholarship’s permanent endowment at Waynesburg University.

“The ability to contribute, even a fraction of today’s cost of higher education, helps this next generation in preparing for their futures,” added Belding.

Formerly known as the County of Greene/Allegheny Energy Scholarship, the 2011 merger brought about the change in the scholarship’s name to include West Penn Power, FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania subsidiary.