Published February 4, 2007

Catholic Foundation Offering Scholarships
Financial Aid Helps, Past Recipients Say

The Catholic  Foundation plans to award higher education scholarships for the 2007-08 academic year.

Meanwhile, first-time scholarship recipient Stacey Brandhorst from Saint Eugene Catholic Church in Weatherford recently reflected on how the Catholic Foundation Scholarship has helped her attend the college of her choice.

“Because I am enrolled in the Honors College at (Oklahoma State University) and my class schedule is very heavy, I am not able to work a part-time job.  The assistance of the Catholic Foundation Scholarship has allowed me to take more challenging courses without worrying about work,” she said.

Brandhorst is a freshman pursuing a double major in Spanish and mass communications. She also serves as a Eucharistic minister and lector at Saint John’s Catholic Church in Stillwater.

“I have met a lot of other Catholic students at OSU,” she said. “We encourage each other to go to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.  Our priest is just amazing.”

She serves as vice president of the Arts and Science Freshman Forum and is a member of the President’s Leadership Council, the OSU Student Alumni Board, the Freshman Representative Council and the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

Adam Stege, another first-time Catholic   Foundation   Scholarship recipient from Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Norman, said he also appreciates the financial assistance.

“The Catholic Foundation Scholarship has made attending Saint Gregory’s possible for me,” he said.  Adam  is a freshman at the Shawnee university.

Although Adam is uncertain about his college major, he said his immediate goal is to maintain a high GPA at Saint Gregory’s to assure his continued academic success.  

“Being at a Catholic university, I am able to attend daily Mass at Saint Greg’s,”  he added.

Stege served as a member of the Buckley Team last semester, which enabled him to share his faith with high school youth through its Retreat Outreach Ministry. He also volunteers at the Saint Greg’s computer lab and is an adult volunteer for his younger brother’s Cub Scout pack in Norman.

Saint Gregory’s University and Newman University in Wichita, Kan., have both agreed to match Catholic Foundation Scholarships for students enrolled at their schools.

The Catholic Foundation guidelines for scholarship eligibility state:

•Applicant must show scholastic ability.

•Applicant must show financial necessity.

•Applicant must be a full-time student (12 hours per semester minimum).

•Applicant must be a resident of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and be a registered and active member of their home Catholic parish.

For an application or additional information, contact Cathy Irwin at the Catholic Foundation at (405) 721-4115 or cirwin@catharchdioceseokc. org.  Applications must be completed and returned to the Catholic Foundation no later than April 2.