POWAY — A local Knights of Columbus council has awarded $31,900 in scholarships to 22 local students.
Bishop Buddy Council 6031, which is based at St. Gabriel Parish in Poway, has been providing scholarships for more than two decades. The council has more than 185 members and is among the largest of the 76 councils in the Knights of Columbus San Diego Chapter. The council evaluates the scholarship applicants based on academics, Church service, community service and financial need.
“The Bishop Buddy Council’s scholarship program is our council’s largest program,” said Scholarship Committee Chairman Steve Cobb, who has run it for more than 15 years. “It confirms our commitment to youth, education and advancing Catholicism.
“Many winners are first-generation college students,” he added, “and some are also leveraging the scholarship for a trade school.”
This year’s scholarships were presented at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on June 30, with more than 40 Knights of Columbus in attendance. This was the largest amount of money that the council has awarded in scholarships in a single year.
Cobb said that the bulk of the funding for the program comes from direct donations from parishioners and their families.
Among this year’s winners were 13 high school seniors and nine current college students, who are studying Child Development, Business, Nursing, Computer Science, Biology, Civil and Electrical Engineering, Radiology and Statistics.
The top award, the Deacon Bob Troy Memorial Scholarship, is presented to the best applicant each year. Its namesake was a permanent deacon at St. Gabriel Parish and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
“I extend my deepest gratitude to the Knights,” said Mary Jane Widjaja, winner of this year’s Deacon Bob Troy Memorial Scholarship. “Your generosity … is having an immense impact on my education.”
Widjaja, who received $3,000 to apply toward her education at San Diego State University, has demonstrated commitment to her academic studies and has been active at St. Gabriel Parish as an altar server, an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and a member of the parish youth group’s student leadership team. She is an artist, speaks two languages and is learning three more.
The second highest award, the Jim-Tom Cavanaugh Memorial Scholarship, is named after a longtime St. Gabriel’s parishioner in recognition of his dedication to the Knights, the parish and the Catholic faith. Candidates for this scholarship must demonstrate strong faith and be majoring in Broadcasting, Communications or Business.
“I really appreciate this award, because it is from the Knights at my church and reinforces my desire to strengthen my faith while pursuing an education,” said Kiara Bowser, who received $2,500.
Bowser was an active participant in religious education and an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. At the University of San Diego, she is active in the Torero Ambassadors, through which she leads tours for campus visitors, and in University Ministry. She regularly attends USD’s weekly Mass for Peace, held every Wednesday night when classes are in session.
