(Corey Maher/Photo Editor)
ANGELINA DOHRE
Staff Writer
Just as she is reaching the finish line of her college career, senior communication disorders and sciences major Hannah Forrest was awarded the largest Tau Sigma scholarship ever given to a Fredonia student.
Succeeding the largest sum of $2,000 last year, she received $3,000 from the national honor society for transfer students.
Forrest first heard about the scholarship back in November and sought out an application. It consisted of questions pertaining to the applicant’s school background, where they transferred from and how they contributed to Tau Sigma.
“Based on the size of our university or our chapter, we’re allowed to nominate one student,” Tau Sigma adviser Helen Leysath said. “We send out the applications to the students, look at all the applications that come in and nominate one to the National Office for review.”
Being one of five applicants, Forrest was one of four SUNY students to receive a scholarship. She found out about her award in December.
“I’m very honored, and when I found out that I got the scholarship, it was really exciting,” she said. “When Helen told me that I was largest recipient of it, I couldn’t believe it and was in shock.”
A transfer student from Jamestown Community College in Olean, Forrest arrived at Fredonia as a junior and joined Tau Sigma after her first semester. She earned an e-board position as social chair, and her title consisted of updating the group’s Facebook page, coming up with social events with the Transfer Student Organization and helping out with events.
According to Forrest, the biggest thing she did for Tau Sigma was coming up with the honor cord system.
“The president of the club, as well as Helen and I, came up with a sort of document stating if a member goes to a certain number of events, then they are eligible for getting free cords for graduation,” she said. “We did this to get more participation because weren’t getting as many participants as we wanted at each event.”
Each e-board member was in charge of one of the four events Tau Sigma hosts every year. Forrest’s event was the 2016 Care Packages for Our Troops.
“We partner with Blue Star Mothers in Jamestown and we collect donations, supplies and games for our soldiers overseas and send them out,” she said.
According to Forrest, she reached out to the Dunkirk Observer, the school and got a lot more community involvement for this event.
“We were able to raise $800 alone along with several supplies,” she said. “This was the biggest year the Blue Star Mothers have had because of our contribution.”
Along with Tau Sigma, Forrest is a member of Golden Key Honor Society, the national honor society in education Kappa Delta Pi and has worked with the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association.
Forrest stated she has already used the scholarship money to be able to afford a trip to Belize through Fredonia’s study abroad program.
“I went for two weeks, and the first week we went on excursions, learned about the culture and went sight-seeing, and the next week we were in schools,” she said. “We were getting hands-on experience working with children, alongside teachers.”
Apart from the Tau Sigma scholarship, Forrest has earned two other scholarships in the past. She received the Gustave A. and Geraldine S. Werner Foundation Scholarship from the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences and a Doors to Opportunity Scholarship through the Fredonia College Foundation for academic excellence.
According to Leysath, Forrest is well-deserving of this scholarship.
“When Tau Sigma asks for the application, they ask for your service to the group, the institution and the community,” she said. “Forrest had a very nice balanced background, and we were very excited and feel fortunate that she was recognized.”
After graduation, Forrest plans on attending graduate school to complete her master’s degree in speech pathology. She is still unsure of which school she wants to attend but has strong hopes for her future.
“I am really looking forward to graduate school because I will get hands-on experiences working with clients,” she said. “I see myself in a school setting working with children, helping them with their speech problems and bettering their communication skills.”