P.E.O. Sisterhood helps nursing student with grant

Submitted by International Sisterhood of P.E.O.

Chapter OB of the International Sisterhood of P.E.O. of St. Charles recently awarded Katherine Horton with a grant of $2,000 to aid her in obtaining a master’s degree at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb to become an advanced practice nurse.

This grant was presented by Jane Newby, chairwoman of the Program for Continuing Education.

The P.E.O. Sisterhood is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, loans, and stewardship of Cottey College; and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations. There are several P.E.O. chapters in the Fox Valley area.

Philanthropic Educational Organization, one of the pioneer societies for women, was founded on Jan. 21, 1869, by seven students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Originally a small campus friendship society, P.E.O. soon blossomed to include women off campus.

Today, P.E.O. has grown from that tiny membership of seven to almost a quarter of a million members in chapters in the United States and Canada. The P.E.O. Sisterhood’s mission is promoting educational opportunities for women. The sisterhood makes a difference in women’s lives with six philanthropies that include ownership of a two-year women’s college, Cottey College, and five programs that provide higher educational assistance.

For details, visit www.peointernational.org.