For nearly 60 years, Brooklyn’s own, The Women’s League of Science and Medicine, has been flying under the radar in comparison to many of the borough’s larger non-profits, but its grassroots strength in awarding scholarships to students continues to grow.
And on Saturday, the organization gave out 27 scholarships to young students at its 58th annual luncheon held at Glen Terrace, 5313 Avenue N in Flatlands. Established in 1960, the organization has grown in size, as evidenced by the packed luncheon, and continues to encourage the next generation of thinkers.
“The Women’s League of Science and Medicine over the past close to six decades has shown us there is no limitation of what people can do if they put their mind to it, and the importance of strengthening science, mathematics and engineering,” said Keynote Speaker Assemblyman Walter Mosley (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights).
“All these genres and scopes of practice need to be embraced because they transcend the bigotry and opportunity because they’re universal. Anytime, you allow someone to train in a universal practice the sky is the limit in terms of their ability to succeed in life, whether here in New York City or anywhere else in the world,” he added.
For the past 57 years, the non-profit, non-sectarian organization has awarded more than 802 scholarships and citations to aspiring students. This includes high school, pre-med, and college students.
In addition, the ‘League’ established an annual scholarship fund in the Department of Education at Midwood High School’s Science Institute at Brooklyn College. The League has also donated to the United Negro College Fund, and has further expanded their scholarships to students in the fields of law, Education, social science, communication and the arts.
“I learned of the scholarship through my parents,” said Kayah Hodge of Bedford-Stuyvesant and one of Saturday’s recipients.
Hodge attended Uncommon Collegiate Charter High School on the Bed-Stuy/Crown Heights border and is in her second year at Hamilton College in upstate New York, where she is majoring in mathematics and economics. “I want to be an accountant,” she said.
Beverly Jones-Lawrence, the organization’s current president, said she knows the founders of the organization, the late Reva M. Anthony and the late Sarah Parsons Blow would have been very impressed with the Women’s League continued outpouring of support.
“It is my goal as president to award our target group of top students in high school, college and grad school,” she said.
“The mission is not an impossible one since our motto continues to be, Dollars equal Scholars!” Photographs by Tsubasa Berg
