Women's club offering several scholarships

The Zonta Club of St. Charles-Geneva-Batavia, a professional women's service organization, is offering scholarships to local area women to continue their education. There are four scholarships being offered.

One scholarship is for young women graduating high school in June.

• The Luella Hoffman Scholarship is given annually to a public or private school student in the district areas of Elgin Area School District U-46, Central Unit District 301, Kaneland Unit District 302, St. Charles Unit District 303, Geneva Unit District 304, or Batavia Unit District 101.

This $2,500 award is to be applied to tuition, books and fees for a full-time two- or four-year program of study. Selection is based on academic performance, community service, extra-curricular activities, financial need, and the applicant's expressed objectives and goals.

Two scholarships are for women currently in college or looking to re-enter.

• The 2nd Chance Scholarship is designed to help a woman, age 25 or older, who desires to continue her education on a full- or part-time basis at any institution of higher learning in Kane or adjacent counties. The $500 per semester award is based on sincerity of purpose, financial need and academic aptitude.

• The Jane Klausman Women in Business Scholarship is for any woman entering her third or fourth year of an undergraduate degree program in a business-related field. The award of $500 is based on outstanding academic achievement in business-related subjects and future academic and career goals. There is also a district competition for $400 paid in September with the district winner competing for a $4,000 award from Zonta International paid in December.

A portion of the proceeds from the Zonta Club's annual silent auction held the last Wednesday of October is used to support these scholarship opportunities for local women. Local charities are benefit.

The Zonta silent auction has received wide support from local businesses and the community in recognition of the club's efforts to improve the lives of women both locally and internationally.

Applications for scholarships must be submitted no later than Feb. 25. Awards are made in April for the fall 2008 school year. Applications are available online at www.zonta-stcharles-geneva-batavia.org. For more information, call Rebecca Williams, Zonta Scholarship Chair, at (630) 262-2032.