INDIANAPOLIS — The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Foundation announces that it has
awarded $4,000 in scholarships to sorority women. The 2017 recipients are Katherine Sue Mathews
from Washburn University, Kati Simpson from Chapman University and Paige Hanewald from University
of Wyoming.
“NPC and its member organizations are focused on college affordability, and the mission of the NPC
Foundation is to advance the 26 women’s organizations of NPC through initiatives that launch and
sustain women leaders,” said Janet Brown, Alpha Omicron Pi, president of the board of trustees.
“These scholarships help make college more affordable for three outstanding sorority leaders.”
The NPC Foundation scholarship committee led by board of trustees member Carol Helmus, Delta
Delta Delta, reviewed 68 applications and selected the following three, accomplished students:
Katherine Sue Mathews, Zeta Tau Alpha, is the recipient of The Mary Louise Roller/Alpha Omicron Pi
Scholarship, awarded to an undergraduate woman who plans to attend graduate school the following
fall. As a recipient, Mathews will receive $1,000 for displaying outstanding service to the Washburn
University College Panhellenic and her sorority during her undergraduate years. She graduated with a
degree in biology and will be pursuing a degree in optometry at Southern College of Optometry.
“Without sorority life, I would not have had the ambition to become a leader on campus, been as
successful academically or in the position I am today on the path to becoming a doctor,” Mathews said.
Planning to fund as much of her professional education on her own as she can, this scholarship will go
a long way in making Mathews’ first year more affordable.
Kati Simpson, Gamma Phi Beta, is the recipient of The Elizabeth Ahlemeyer Quick/Gamma Phi Beta
Scholarship. She will receive $2,000 in scholarship funds for serving her sorority community while
maintaining a GPA over 3.0. Simpson was nominated by the local Chapman University College
Panhellenic Association which she served as vice president of scholarship & standards in 2016 and
is serving as vice president of development & philanthropy this year. Simpson is a junior majoring in
communications studies and dance with a 3.89 GPA. “I have been working since I was 14 to offset the
ever-increasing cost of higher education in hopes of reaching my dream to work in nonprofit dance
outreach,” Simpson said. “I am endlessly grateful for this support from the NPC Foundation, and I am
excited to one day as a proud alumna pay it forward to deserving collegiate sorority women.”
Paige Hanewald, Delta Delta Delta, is the recipient of the Alpha Phi/Betty Mullins Jones Scholarship,
awarded to her as a collegiate Panhellenic woman who has worked to further her sorority community’s
reputation on her campus and who embodies the values of sisterhood, philanthropy and scholarship.
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to Paige in part because she is making a difference in sorority life
by serving on her campus College Panhellenic in the roles of vice president of recruitment (2016) and
president this year. Hanewald attends the University of Wyoming, is majoring in secondary English and
Spanish education. She is also a member of the Order of Omega. “While I may have initially attended
the university to limit my student debt, I stayed because my eyes were opened beyond my individual
bubble,” Hanewald said. “As a sorority woman and a future educator, I have learned that it is my
responsibility to expand my cultural knowledge and through that knowledge have discovered a greater
understanding of language and people.”
NPC is one of the oldest and largest women’s membership organizations representing women on more
than 670 college/university campuses and in 3,784 local alumnae chapters in the U.S. and Canada.
For more information about NPC Foundation scholarships, visit
npcwomen.org/scholarships
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About the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Foundation
Established in 1995, the National Panhellenic Conference Foundation promotes values and ethics for
sorority women and encourages all members to be active and responsible leaders in their
communities. The Foundation’s mission is supported through the sponsorship of NPC educational and
charitable programs.
About the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)
NPC, one of the largest organizations advocating for women, is the umbrella group for 26 national and international
sororities. NPC sororities are located on more than 670 campuses with 380,565 undergraduate members in 3,234 chapters.
Alumnae are represented in 3,889 associations throughout the world. For more information, including a complete list of
NPC sororities, visit npcwomen.org or find NPC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
