Award Recipients
AAUW Freehold Branch Scholarships
- AAUW-Lew Williams & Joan Odud Scholarship
- AAUW-Leila Sulkes Memorial Scholarship
- AAUW-Rose Fishkin Memorial Award for Academic Excellence (HS Awards)
- The Betty Hurlbert Scholarship
AAUW-Lew Williams & Joan Odud Scholarship
(Formerly the Lew Williams & Leila Sulkes Scholarship)
The 2025-2026 Scholarships
($2,000 per awardee)
were awarded to:
Ellen Walsh
Ellen Walsh is a senior at Rutgers University’s School of Social Work, where she also minors in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. As a member of Douglass Residential College, the women’s college affiliated with Rutgers, Ellen works on initiatives that include curriculum development, peer mentoring, and coordinating a feminist data archival project. Her academic and professional pursuits are deeply rooted in a commitment to equity and social transformation. Passionate about reimagining societal structures for a sustainable and just future, Ellen actively engages in her local community by serving on her town’s zoning board, hosting a book club, and contributing to an environmental working group. She takes pride in living in alignment
with her values and fostering strong social connections, which she considers essential for collective well-being. Ellen’s work reflects her belief in the power of community and systemic change to create a world where all life can thrive.
Judy Hopkins
In 2002, my life was profoundly altered when I was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a rare and debilitating chronic pain condition. Once a student in the Theatre and Dance Department at Montclair State University, I spent more than a decade bedridden, navigating both severe physical pain and emotional isolation. With the unwavering support
of my family and the guidance of my psychologist, I slowly rebuilt my life and discovered a new purpose in psychology. In 2023, I graduated with honors from Georgian Court University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, earning a NASA Human Exploration Directorate Grant for my research. I am now pursuing a PsyD in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Health Psychology, with the goal of serving individuals with chronic illness and disability. My journey has fueled my commitment to advocacy, accessibility, and compassionate care, transforming personal adversity into a mission of service and hope. I am grateful to AAUW-Freehold Branch for awarding me. The Lew Williams & Joan Odud Scholarship to help offset the financial burden of graduate school.
Each year, Applications are accepted from January – July for the following academic school year. The deadline for applying for scholarships is July 31 each year. Scholarship amounts vary from year to year and are contingent upon the amounts raised by the annual June AAUW Book Sale in Freehold, NJ,
See the Freehold Area Branch Scholarships Page for Scholarship Applicant information and how to apply for these scholarships.
AAUW-Leila Sulkes Memorial Scholarship
The winner is chosen by the financial aid office at Brookdale Community College (BCC) and the $1000 scholarship is awarded annually.
2025 AWARDS
The Outstanding High School Students’ Awards
(AAUW-Rose Fishkin Memorial Award for Academic Excellence)
were awarded at our May Branch Meeting
on May 8, 2025 – 6:30 PM
-
Colts Neck HS – Alexandra Parisi
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Freehold HS – Hannah Merkle
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Freehold Township HS – Andrea Bawar
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Howell HS – Madelyn Roberto
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Manalapan HS – Ashley Blume
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Marlboro HS – Sarah Gold
The Betty Hurlbert Scholarship
In Memory of Betty Hurlbert
Betty Hulbert was a member of the AAUW Freehold Area Branch for many years. The Betty Hurlbert Scholarship was established as designated in her will, with the amount of the scholarship to be $1000/per year for 10 years. The scholarship began in 2021. It is stipulated that the recipient be a Freehold Township resident attending a Freehold Regional District High School in a STEM Program. The recipient is selected by a Freehold Regional District High School administrator responsible for scholarship programs. The disbursement of funds is administered by the AAUW Freehold Area Branch.