In memory of founding members who have passed and who are greatly missed, Women In Focus establishes In Memoriam Named Scholarships. The students receiving these special scholarships each year are inspired to succeed by the lives and achievements of our founding members.
Dr. Virginia Henderson Scholarship
Please read our tribute to Dr. Henderson here.
Dr. Virginia Henderson’s legacy is celebrated with an annual memorial scholarship in her name. Dr. Henderson was instrumental in creating our organization in 1983. Under her leadership, Women in Focus created its lasting mission of encouraging students of color to succeed in education. This mission inspires the work of WIF as we continue to award our scholarships.
Aliyah Brown is the 2021 recipient. She will be completing her high school studies at Capital High School in June of 2021. Aliyah has committed to Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago where she plans on studying African American History.
Past Recipients
Dija Manly, 2019 Inaugural Recipient; Deniye Mitchell, 2020
Ms. Gloria Jones-Bey Memorial Scholarship
Learn more about the life of Ms. Gloria Jones-Bey here.
The legacy of our founding member, Gloria Jones-Bey, is carried forth with an annual scholarship in her name. A nurse, administrator and educator, Gloria Jones-Bey was passionately dedicated to our organization working tirelessly to advance our mission, including spearheading the formation of our 501(c)(3), honing our mission and by-laws, serving in every leadership position.
Chastity Collins is the 2021 recipient. She is graduating from Sun Prairie High School and will attend Madison College to study nursing.
Past Recipients
Jared Biddle, 2017 Inaugural Recipient; Camille Miles, 2020
Studesville Scholarship
Learn more about the life of Jane Studesville here.
Jan Studesville and her husband Al Studesville died in a tragic motorcycle accident on June 4, 2013. WIF awarded a scholarship in honor of Jan and Al that next year in April of 2014 and have continued that tradition every year, with funding by proceeds from the Ball or from the WIF Endowment at the Madison Community Foundation. Jan and Al were enthusiastic supporters of the WIF Endowment. Read more about the Endowment and how you can contribute on the Give page.
Ebba Harrison is the 2021 recipient. Ebba is graduating from Waunakee High School and is attending UW-Madison to major in Interior Architecture in hopes of becoming a successful entrepreneur of interior design.
Past Recipients
Taylor Kilgore, 2014 Inaugural Recipient; Rose Chujor, 2015; Umiama Muhammed Saed, 2016; Meshan Adams, 2017; Osman Darboe, 2018; Dora Aranda, 2019; Ngina Ali, 2020.
Rose Anne Brown
Learn more about Rose Ann Brown here.
Rose Ann Brown was a founding member of Women in Focus and active for 37 years. She believed deeply in our mission to encourage students of color to succeed in college with the support of scholarships. Her legacy is carried forth to remember her spirit, dedication, and humor with an annual scholarship.
Julian James is the inaugural recipient of this scholarship. He is graduating from East High School. He plans to attend UW-Madison and dual major in Statistics and African American Studies or Political Science in hopes to ultimately attending law school in order to serve others and fight injustice.
Miss Annie Mae McClain Scholarship
From 2007-2018, WIF awarded a second scholarship to a returning student in honor of Miss Annie Mae. In 2007 Women in Focus, Inc. awarded the first Miss Annie Mae McClain Scholarship, funded with the proceeds of an auction of 77 wonderful hats owned by Miss Annie Mae McClain during her lifetime. The hats were generously donated to WIF by Miss Annie Mae’s son Joe McClain and his wife, former WIF member Carol Lobes. Both Joe and Carol felt that Miss Annie Mae would want her beloved hats to contribute to the higher education of young people of color.
Prior to the auction, the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters worked with the Overture Gallery staff to beautifully display the 77 hats at the Overture Center and show the fascinating history of church hats. The exhibit appeared first in Madison and then traveled to Milwaukee in 2006. Two hats were donated by WIF to the Wisconsin State Historical Society; one that was purchased at the WIF auction by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Two additional hats were purchased by the Milwaukee Historical Society at the auction. The front page Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters magazine article and museum postcard about Miss Annie Mae’s hats will be included in the Time Capsule marking Madison’s 150th anniversary.
Learn more about Miss Annie Mae’s hats here.
Miss Annie Mae is featured in Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham and in the Wisconsin Academy Review publication by Ruth Olson “Miss Annie Mae’s Hats: Church Hats from the Black Community”.