Four Washington County Women Awarded Scholarships

Four women in Washington County have been awarded scholarships totaling over $7,500 by the GFWC Women’s Club of South County, which is committed to helping women in need achieve their educational and career goal. Recipients are Britney Naylor from Narrangansett, who is attending ANLI Academy for certification as a Nail & Eyelash Tech; Elisa Quinones from North Kingstown, who is attending the University of Rhode Island’s Doctor of Pharmacy program; Corrine Perrin from Hope Valley, who is attending Rhode Island College for a nursing RN degree; and Alexandra Wilson from Hope Valley, who is attending Rhode Island College and majoring in Communications & Marketing

Britney Naylor, who has received an Eyelash certification, says she has always enjoyed making people happy. As a young lady she liked to create new looks that included improving someone’s eyelashes. She found that it sometimes helped to build their confidence. She was happy to see that she could help others, even in this small way. Her goal is to continue classes by adding a nail tech certification, continuing to improve her eyelash tech skills, and perhaps one day opening her own salon.

Elisa Quinones is a second-year recipient of a scholarship from WCSC. Her motivation to become a pharmacist has been heightened by the pandemic. She has seen how pharmacy connects with public health and safety issues and the positive impact they have had, and will continue to have, during a public health crises.

Corrine Perrin has been interested in nursing from a young age. She has been working as a nursing assistant for over ten years, more than five at South County Hospital in the cardiac unit. “I always enjoyed helping people and I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty,” she says. The start of the pandemic was terrifying for all health care workers, including her, but it has served to make her passion for nursing even stronger.

Alexandra Wilson is working toward two degrees, a BA in Communications with a concentration in public and professional communications and a BS in Marketing and General Management. She fell in love with the goals and mission of nonprofit organizations and wants to help them help others by utilizing the knowledge she has gained. She has one semester left until graduation and looks forward to working for a nonprofit and making a positive impact in the lives of others.

A ceremony honoring scholarship winners was held at the WCSC’s general meeting on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at the Narragansett Community Center in Narragansett, RI.

The club’s Scholarship Fund was established more than twenty years ago. Part of the funding for the scholarships comes from the club’s major fundraiser, an annual Book & Author Luncheon, usually held at the Dunes Club in Narragansett each year. It went virtual in 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions but was successful nevertheless, thanks to the generosity of sponsors, raffle donations, and volunteers.

Scholarship Application forms and instructions are posted each January on the club’s website: www.gfwcri.org, select South County. The deadline for submission falls in April.

The GFWC Women’s Club of South County is a 501 (c) 3 (nonprofit) organization that brings together women of diverse backgrounds to provide community support through volunteerism, grants to local nonprofit agencies and scholarships to women in need. For more information about the group and its charitable contributions, visit www.gfwcri.org and select South County.