WGST Announces Hattery Family Foundation—Franki Rutherford Memorial Scholarship Winners

WGST Announces Hattery Family Foundation—Franki Rutherford Memorial Scholarship Winners
Scholarship Recipients Nancy Xiong and Mabinty Quarshie with Suzanne Scott and Angela Hattery

Two Hattery Family Foundation- Franki Rutherford Scholarships were awarded during the Women and Gender Studies annual Scholar's Lecture on November 13,2012. The inaugural awards were presented to Nancy Xiong, Master’s student in Sociology and Women and Gender Studies and Mabinty Quarshie, English Major and Women and Gender Studies Minor. The awards presentation was a momentous occasion as the two deserving students were granted the opportunity to attend a semester at Mason without worries of tuition or room and board.

Each year the scholarship committee will seek to assist not only students in financial need, but those who study women and gender studies, have a heart for addressing inequality, and have faced barriers in their lives that might have prevented them from attending college such as: lack of support from home, being first generation college students, and students whose parents or they themselves are of an immigrant status.

Once the September 30 deadline passed, the difficult deliberation began to select the worthy recipients. Bob and Dianne Hattery, founders and funders of the scholarship, were present with joyous expressions for the announcement of the winners.

The scholarship fund was initially created because the Hattery family understands the concept of adversity faced when attempting to obtain a college education. Therefore, the family wanted to give others who face significant challenges a chance to excel without a financial strain. The scholarship shares its name with Franki Rutherford who was not able to attend college until her 60’s. Rutherford passed away in 2011 from pancreatic cancer while researching women issues. Rutherford shares the name of the scholarship because she epitomized academic triumph over life’s roadblocks.

The Women and Gender Studies program is proud to be able to assist their students in anyway they can. However, the opportunity to impact lives of individuals in this manner, through gracious contribution, is truly a magnificent occasion with cause for celebration. 

Others nay contribute to the Hattery Family- Franki Rutherford Scholarship by contacting Angela Hattery at (703) 993-2897 or by email at ahattery@gmu.edu.