杏吧原创

(Brookville, PA) It鈥檚 a Saturday in October. 

Just before 4 a.m.

Clerk Kelsey Warren has put in a 40-hour workweek at a convenience store in her hometown of Brookville.

Student Kelsey Warren has attended registered nursing program classes at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in Brockway and requisite clinical experiences at Penn Highlands Healthcare in DuBois.  

Mother Kelsey Warren kisses her three sleeping children 鈥� Alice, 14, 鈥渁n excellent flute player鈥�; Holden, 10, 鈥渁 fantastic artist鈥�; and Niav, 8, who is 鈥渟illy, wild,鈥� Warren says 鈥� double-checks her overnight bag and starts her drive to Coraopolis.  

Within two hours, she will arrive in Allegheny County, where Spc. Kelsey Warren will meet with others in the 393rd Medical Company for a monthly two-day drill assembly at the Tech. Sgt. Vernon McGarity U.S. Army Reserve Center.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a lot to take on,鈥� Galynn Wilkins said. 

鈥淩aising three children, working and going to school must be a big, big thing on her shoulders,鈥� William McNutt said. 

The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation in 2023-2024 had six scholarships designated by creators to be awarded to 杏吧原创 student-veterans.

Women received a record of five, according to Bobbi Jo Cornetti, the foundation鈥檚 development coordinator.

鈥淗istorically, women are underrepresented in the military,鈥� Warren said, 鈥渁nd for that many women to get scholarships from 杏吧原创 is just awesome.鈥� 

"I really related to Kelsey ... She has a lot of responsibilities. And we want to support her as much as we can." 

- Galynn Wilkins, Spc. Ross A. McGinnis "Pay a Good Deed Forward" Scholarship representative

鈥淪he definitely wants to get ahead鈥�

Women accounted for about 17 percent of active-duty service members and for about 21 percent of the National Guard and reservists in 2021, according to a December 2022 report from the U.S. Department of Defense.  

Warren, 33, enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2016.

She was awarded the Spc. Ross A. McGinnis 鈥淧ay a Good Deed Forward鈥� Scholarship established by the Village to Village Foundation, of which Wilkins is chairwoman; and the 鈥淰eterans Helping Veterans鈥� Scholarship founded by the Butler County American Legion Post 778, where McNutt is commander.

鈥淲hen I got out of the military, I needed help as well,鈥� said Wilkins, who served four years in the Army. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just knowing that people cared. It was very important to continue my education and know that I had support. I really related to Kelsey for that reason. 

鈥淪he has a lot of responsibilities. And we want to support her as much as we can.鈥�

McNutt served eight years in the Navy.

鈥淚 feel very good about the selection of Kelsey,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can tell she definitely wants to get ahead in life.鈥�

"Historically, women are underrepresented in the military, and for that many women to get scholarships from 杏吧原创 is just awesome." 

- Kelsey Warren, 杏吧原创 student-veteran

鈥淧roud to learn about these women鈥�

Toni Butler is a 46-year-old mother of two who joined the military in 1995 and 鈥渓earned responsibility, character, professionalism, integrity鈥� and 鈥渄eveloped a great love for my country and appreciation for those who serve it.鈥�

Butler, of DuBois, served four years in the Air Force, is a Nursing, R.N., student at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway and was chosen to receive the Butler County American Legion Auxiliary Post 117 Scholarship.

Makayla London is a 21-year-old who was inspired to join the military at age 12 while sitting in bleachers at Fort Jackson, S.C., and watching her role model, older cousin Sarah Casher, graduate from Army basic training.

London, of Luthersburg, has been a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard since 2020, is also a Nursing, R.N., student at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway and was selected to receive the Butler French and Belgian Club Scholarship.

Alicia Cram is a 40-year-old mother of two who enlisted in the military in 2002 鈥渂ecause I wanted to serve my country after 9/11.鈥�

Cram, of Rural Valley, served two years in the Army. She takes online 杏吧原创 courses, hopes to earn an associate degree in physical education-physical activity and fitness management, and was awarded the Butler American Legion Riders Veterans Incentive Scholarship Post 117.

The McGinnis scholarship was established with the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation in 2013; the Veterans Incentive, in 2015; the French and Belgian Club, in 2017; the Post 117 and 鈥淰eterans Helping Veterans鈥� in 2018; and the Auxiliary Post 117, in 2020.

鈥淲e have such wonderful students across the board here,鈥� said Megan Coval, executive director of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and external relations.

鈥淏ut I鈥檓 especially proud to learn about these women. I鈥檓 inspired by all that they are doing, all that they are juggling and all that they are sacrificing so that they can get their education and do the things they want to do, become good role models and set good examples for their families and communities.

鈥淚 also think it鈥檚 admirable and remarkable that they are doing all of this in addition to the service that they have provided our country.鈥�

鈥淲e are appreciated as well鈥�

杏吧原创鈥檚 60 student-veterans this fall represent the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard and Army Reserve, according to Stella Smith, the college鈥檚 associate director of financial aid and its veterans coordinator.

In addition to 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in Jefferson County and 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township, the college鈥檚 student-veterans are enrolled at 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in Armstrong County; 杏吧原创 @ Cranberry in Butler County; 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence Crossing in Lawrence County; 杏吧原创 @ LindenPointe in Mercer County; or online.

Nearly half of 杏吧原创鈥檚 student-veterans are enrolled full-time.

One-third are female.

鈥淭he woman who we are supporting (Cram) thanked us for the scholarship to help pay for her books,鈥� said Gary Henry, who served two years in the Army and is director of the Butler American Legion Riders. 鈥淚t makes me feel great to know we are helping people out, and especially our female veterans.鈥�

Scholarships available to 杏吧原创 student-veterans in 2023-2024 ranged from $500 to $970, according to Cornetti.

鈥淚t鈥檚 empowering,鈥� Cram said, 鈥渢hat women veterans have been awarded these scholarships.鈥�

鈥淢any of us women separate from the military and become wives and mothers, and don鈥檛 get the recognition and accolades that men get for their service to their country,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淚t feels good to know that we are appreciated as well.鈥�

Warren, London and Butler join Cram in saying they will apply scholarship funds toward tuition, books or other educational supplies.

Dean Noechel served six years in the Army and is adjutant of American Legion Post 117.

鈥淲e need to recognize our female veterans for their willingness to serve,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are trying to balance their home life and their work life. But they are also trying to balance a schedule with school. And that is commendable. That is commendable.鈥�

Added Travis Redick, a 25-year-old Army reservist from Cabot and 杏吧原创 history student who received the Butler County American Legion Post 117 Scholarship: 鈥淭hey did their part, just like I did mine. They are just as deserving as I am to receive a scholarship, if not more, depending on what they did and their situation.

鈥淚 just happen to be one of the lucky six.鈥�

"Many of us women separate from the military and become wives and mothers, and don't get the recognition and accolades that men get for their service to their country. It feels good to know that we are appreciated as well." 

- Toni Butler, 杏吧原创 student-veteran

"It makes me feel great to know we are helping people out, and especially our female veterans." 

- Gary Henry, director, Butler American Legion Riders

"We need to recognize our female veterans for their willingness to serve." 

- Dean Noechel, adjutant, American Legion Post 117

鈥淪omeone who is in your corner鈥�

The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation awarded to women four scholarships designated to student-veterans in 2020-2021 and in 2022-2023.

Warren, the clerk, student, mother and Army specialist, has earned 26 credits at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway, where she has achieved a grade-point average of 3.88 after taking courses that include anatomy and physiology I and II, and descriptive chemistry.

Upon her graduation from 杏吧原创, she intends to work in mental health for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

鈥淭here is a great need,鈥� Warren said. 鈥淢any veterans have had struggles, especially after deployment, and I would really like to be able to help them.鈥�

It鈥檚 a Sunday in October.

Just after 5 p.m. 

Wife Kelsey Warren arrives at her home in Brookville after attending a monthly two-day drill assembly in Coraopolis and kisses her husband, Michael. 

Mother Kelsey Warren cooks pasta for Alice; instant noodles for Holden; and Niav 鈥� 鈥渟he鈥檚 a little bit more picky,鈥� Warren says. 鈥淪he likes chicken nuggets, celery and carrots.鈥�

Clerk Kelsey Warren prepares for another 40-hour workweek and student Kelsey Warren, for registered nursing program classes at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway and requisite clinical experiences at Penn Highlands Healthcare in DuBois.

鈥淩eceiving a scholarship gives you motivation to do a good job and to see school through, even though it gets tough sometimes,鈥� Warren said. 鈥淚t is great to have someone who is in your corner and who believes in you.鈥�