RAPA awards $10,000 in scholarships to two students

By: Nelda Stuck, Special to Community Forward Redlands News

REDLANDS – The Redlands Area Panhellenic Association (RAPA) awarded $10,000 in scholarships during its annual spring meeting and scholarship awards luncheon April 25 at Redlands Country Club.

Two students received $5,000 awards: Alexandra Gilbreth, recipient of the Geraldine M. Derkum Panhellenic Foundation Award, and Brooklyn Rios, who received the Charline Ketcherside Major Donor Award.

To be eligible, applicants must have a permanent home address in the greater Redlands area, be currently enrolled in college, and be initiated members in good standing in National Panhellenic Council sororities. Scholarship funds are administered by the Redlands Community Foundation. Executive Director Lynn Whitmer attended the luncheon as a special guest.

Gilbreth is a member of Delta Delta Delta at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. She is majoring in agricultural communications and public relations and strategic communications, with a minor in political science. She recently completed an internship with the Indiana House of Representatives and has been accepted to summer internships with the Almond Growers Association of California and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Rios is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Southern California. She is majoring in business administration with an emphasis on sports media industries, player operations and athletic representation. Her experience includes internships with Steinberg Sports and Entertainment and USC Recruiting Operation. She also serves as a game day marketing intern for USC and volunteers with the Sports Business Association, which supports access, equipment and financial assistance for low-income youth.

The Derkum Scholarship was established in memory of Geraldine M. Derkum, a former RAPA president and member of Alpha Chi Omega at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Ketcherside attended the University of New Mexico, where she served as president of Pi Beta Phi, and later worked as a teacher. In Redlands, she served as president of Panhellenic and founding president of the Geraldine M. Derkum Scholarship Foundation. She also held leadership roles with the Breakfast Club of Redlands, Chapter N of P.E.O., and the Redlands Community Hospital Foundation, and was a founding trustee of the Redlands Community Foundation and a trustee of the Kimberly-Shirk Foundation. She was named a University of Redlands Town and Gown Woman of Distinction in 2000. This year marks the first scholarship awarded from her endowment fund.

RAPA, founded in Redlands in 1949, is celebrating its 77th year and has awarded more than 90 scholarships since 1982.

Officers for the current year include co-presidents Gloria Moreland and Rachel Shaw, Treasurer Linda Rylett and Secretary Jeanne Clark. Peggi Cook and Christy Salazar will continue serving as scholarship co-chairs, with assistance from Amber Costa, Gloria Moreland, Linda Rylett and Lynn Whitmer.

Upcoming RAPA events include ushering and a potluck at the Redlands Bowl concert Aug. 4, a no-host social at J. Riley’s on Sept. 23 and the Southern California Council of Associations of Panhellenics meeting Oct. 17. A December gathering and Family Services dinner are also planned.

For information about RAPA or its scholarships, contact Peggi Cook at 760-333-9131.