b'15SUMMER 2019Rhiannon Kelly hugs her grandfather, Wayne Doyle, in his home in Irwin, Westmorelad County. He established a memorial scholarship to honor his wife, Anita Doyle, who enabled others to achieve higher education.High School with GPAs of 3.5 and above have been awarded scholarships from the fund. That experience is as exciting for the Doyle family as it is for the students.Seeing the students faces when they receive the scholarship is so rewarding, says Doyle. Anita would have loved being at the awards ceremony.As an Eberhardt scholarship recipient, I can attest that the feeling that comes from receiving a scholarship after a competitive application process is incredible, thrilling, relieving and unbelievable. All those feelings are wrapped up into one emotional moment. Each year, hundreds of moments like this result from the Foundations program, which awarded more than 700 scholarships last year.The process begins online with the Foundations Scholarship Search tool, where students click a variety of boxes about their field of study, hometown or school. The application for many scholarships can also be completed online. Search results include brief descriptions, average awards, deadlines and eligibility requirements. Application guidelines often reflect the preferences of donors like Doyle as they honor the memory of loved ones. Most scholarships are for college and graduate school, but there are also offerings for trade school, pre-K-to-12 tuition, special needs programs, music lessons and other enrichment activities.The online search and application process helps us reach a large population of potential applicants and fulfill nation, awarding about $2.3 million annually. Of the 320our donors intentions of awarding to students who best active scholarship funds, 64 are dedicated exclusively for thefit the funds criteria, says the Foundations Scholarship benefit of Westmoreland County students like me, whileCoordinator Jennifer Marino. Our search tool provides honoring the wishes of donors who established scholarships. greater awareness and ease of access for counselors, An example is the Anita Doyle Memorial Scholarshipuniversity administrators, parents and students as they Fund. Wayne Doyle, former superintendent of Hempfieldapply for scholarships.Schools, established the scholarship in 2013 in memoryA thorough search is frequently worthwhile: the of his wife, Anita, who died in June 2010. The scholarshipaverage award last academic year was $3,300, with larger dedication describes Anita as an extremely bright andawards ranging from $15,000 to $22,000. Regardless of supportive woman who, despite not having gone to college,amount, every award makes an impact on a students future advocated for everyone having an opportunity to achieveand community.higher education. Endowing a scholarship fund to meet the needs of the I created the fund because I wanted to support Anitascommunity is a perfect example of altruistic benevolence, vision and recognize her for the encouragement she gavesays the Foundations Grants Manager, Ashley Hezel. These to young people, says Doyle. She would have wantedscholarships are often the very thing that tips the scales to give them the financial assistance they need to followin favor of the student, making an otherwise unattainable their dreams. education a reality.Anita supported her husband as he completed mastersExplore the Foundations program at pittsburghand doctoral degrees, and then assisted their daughtersfoundation.org/scholarshipsearchas they went through college. In the six years since the fund was established, graduating seniors from Hempfield AreabyKeera Frye | senior at Point Park University'