SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

The Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic awards annual scholarships of varying amounts to eligible high school senior women who will attend a 4-year college/university in the fall.  Applicants for the High School scholarships must attend the annual High School Scholarship Social to receive an application.  High School counselors are given information regarding the date and location of this annual event.
We also award scholarships to eligible undergraduate college women who are members in good standing of any of the 26 NPC sororities.  To be eligible, college applicants must have been awarded a scholarship by our organization as a high school senior.  ​

To apply for a scholarship as a High School Senior woman, the student must register for and attend the Scholarship Social which will be held on Zoom, Thursday, March 2, 2023, from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.  Please RSVP to gapascholarship@gmail.com by February 28 for the Zoom link. Parents are welcome.   Date, time and location information is sent to high school counselors.  Attendees must sign in and provide contact information for the application to be emailed.  Applications cannot be given to anyone who did not attend the Scholarship Social.

The Scholarship Social provides the prospective applicant to meet the members of the Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic and discuss and discover what it means to be a member of a National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sorority.  We review facts vs. fiction and talk about the benefits of sorority membership.

Eligibility Requirements - applicants must meet all of these requirements:

1. Reside in Glendale, Burbank, La Canada, La Crescenta, Montrose, Tujunga or Sunland OR currently attend and will graduate from one of the public or private high schools in those residential areas in the spring of the year the Scholarship Social occurs.

2. Have a minimum unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.0, verified by a copy of her high school transcript.

3. Will attend a 4-year college or university in the fall of the year the Scholarship Social occurs.

All applications, transcripts, photos and letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically to the location provided by Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic.  There will be a deadline date provided for all requested information.  Incomplete applications or orher information requested received after the deadline will be disqualified.

An application for college applicants will be sent to those who meet these eligibility requirements:

1. Must have received a scholarship from our organization as a High School Senior;

2. Must currently  be an undergraduate and active member in good standing of one of the 26 National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities;

3. Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, verified by a copy of the most recent college transcript;

4. Will attend a 4-year college or university in the fall, as a full-time undergraduate student.  Seniors or Graduate Students are not eligible.

The Scholarship Chair and committee members will review all applications.  After the review, the Scholarship Chair has the option to invite any applicants to patriciate in  a personal interview.  It is possible not all applicants will have a personal interview.   Interviews could be in person or on a virtual platform.  All interviews are held on a specific date, in the evening, during the week.  Each interview could last up to 30 minutes.  While every attempt is made to arrange interviews so they do not conflict with an applicants work or school, committee members time is limited.  Once an interview is scheduled, it may not be rescheduled.

Applicants will be notified at a later date regarding scholarship award decisions.

Each Scholarship recipient must submit an acceptance agreement and proof of enrollment at a 4-year college or university for the fall term.  Scholarship checks will be mailed after receipt of all documents reque4sted by Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic.  Usually this occurs once the recipient has started fall college classes.

Mary Ellen Gilstrap was a 50-year resident of Glendale and La Canada.  When she passed away in 2005, the Gilstrap family designated the Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic as a recipient of donations in Mary Ellen’s memory.  A separate scholarship was created in her honor. One  scholarship is awarded each year, with the recipient selected from both the eligible high school and the college sorority member applicants.  This ""star" award selection is based on the ideals that were Mary Ellen’s:  to have a sincere desire for learning, to be actively involved in school and community service, to have plans for career development, to demonstrate high standards as a person, and to value family and friends.
 

Mary Ellen was the Chi Omega delegate to the Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic for 18 years. She was President of the Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic in 1991-1992 and 2000-2001, and was President of the Southern California Council of Alumnae Panhellenics,  an organization made up of over 30 Southern California alumnae Panhellenic groups that support 19 Southern California colleges and Universities.    She followed her sorority’s ideals throughout her entire life -  the promotion of sincere learning and credible scholarship, community service, career development, quality activities, high personal standards, and most importantly, friendship.
 

Mary Ellen taught in Glendale and La Canada schools and the St. Bede CCD program.   She was a co-owner and Director of the La Canada Pre-School for 28 years.  Her three children graduated from La Canada High School.
 

She found time to be part of the Newcomers, was a charter member of the Canada Auxiliary of Professionals of the Assistance League of Flintridge, was on the Substance Abuse Task Force of the Health Policy Committee of Verdugo Hills Hospital, and was a member of the La Canada Flintridge Community Child Development Task Force.  She was also involved with the La Canada Players.   She was the 2001 winner of the Ada Tallman service award, and was named Educator of the Year in 2004 by the La Canada Chamber of Commerce.