of Central Bucks County and Surrounding Communities
The VIA is committed to empowering others through education and offers several awards and scholarships. The VIA offers Educational Scholarships, HOBY Scholarships, and Women’s Scholarships. Through the James-Lorah Memorial House Committee, it also gives two awards: the James-Lorah Deed of Kindness Prize and the James-Lorah English Prize.
Click on an entry to learn more about each scholarship.
Human Health | Nursing | Juniors’ Leadership Conference | James-Lorah Awards | Adult Women’s Education
For more information on our scholarships and award programs, contact the VIA’s Education Committee.
The Education Committee awards three Hannah Pollock-Laura Haddock Scholarships to graduating high school seniors who reside in the Central Bucks School District and have been accepted by a college or university to major in a human health-related program. The scholarships honor two of the nurses first employed by the VIA in the 1910s.
Three $2,000 Hannah Pollock-Laura Haddock Scholarships were presented to students at their schools’ award ceremonies and announced at the annual VIA June luncheon.
The candidates were outstanding this year! After reviewing many worthy candidates, the recipients were:
Sanjay Nair (Central Bucks South) will be attending Virginia Commonwealth University in the Fall as a Biology Major + BS/MD, which is an 8-year Guaranteed Medical Program. He plans to become an Orthopedic Surgeon.
Beckam Polis (Central Bucks South) will be attending Syracuse University in the Fall as a triple major – Mathematics, Biology and Neuroscience, on the Pre-Med track. He plans to pursue a career in Pediatric Neurology.
Griffin Blokker (Central Bucks West) will be attending Bethel University as a Nursing Major. He plans to become a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner.
The committee also evaluates senior high school nursing scholarship candidates and selects the recipient for the VIA Ruth Boland Memorial Nursing Scholarship which is financially supported by the family of late VIA President and former nurse Ruth Boland. As they have for many years, sisters Kathleen and Jeanne Boland contributed a $2,500 scholarship this year.
Emily White (Central Bucks South) will be attending Seton Hall University as a Nursing Major.
Since 1992, the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown has worked with the three Central Bucks School District high schools to identify outstanding sophomore students with promising leadership skills to attend the two-day HOBY Leadership seminars. “HOBY” stands for “Hugh O’Brien Youth.” Hugh O’Brian, best known for his acting role as Marshall Wyatt Earp in the 1950 TV series “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp,” was a humanitarian as well. In 1958 O’Brian established the Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation whose mission is “to inspire students to a life of leadership and service to their communities.” Today, the HOBY Foundation holds seminars nationwide and in many foreign countries with more than 12,000 students participating each year.
The 2024 winners of the $275 HOBY scholarship award are:
Delaney Rowe – Central Bucks South
Elly Gartenberg – Central Bucks West
Sarah MacLean – Central Bucks East
The VIA’s headquarters, the James-Lorah Memorial Home, is named in honor of the last two families who lived in the mansion. Miss Sara James, a founding member of the VIA, deeded the house and all its contents to the VIA in her will. Sarah’s sister, Martha James Lorah, established the Deed of Kindness Prize in her will to honor local youth. Her husband, the Reverend George Lorah, who was an amateur poet, established the George H. Lorah English Prize in his wife’s memory. Each student is presented with a $100 check.
The winner of the Martha James Lorah Prize for Deeds of Kindness was Rukhshona Suponkulova (CB West).
The winner of the Dr. George H. Lorah Prize in English was Eudora Demiri-Worman (CB West).
Although most VIA scholarships are to high school students, we also assist deserving adult women. The program is designed to provide financial aid to eligible women to obtain education and/or training to prepare them to secure employment or to improve their work status by upgrading their skills. The scholarships are based on need and must be used only for educational/vocational purposes.
The committee receives referrals through social service agencies, local college counselors, and community support groups. Many of the applicants are single parents hoping to establish financial independence for themselves and their children. Applicants submit a goal statement, personal references and a plan of study. The committee does not review applications from graduating high school students and does not accept direct applications.
