Chamber of Commerce Establishes College Scholarship

January 6, 2009: The Montrose Area Chamber of Commerce has recently established a scholarship endowment with The Community Foundation of Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties. The scholarship is a memorial tribute to Pauline MacNeal, an early and dedicated member of the chamber who passed away in 1995.

Pauline was a woman of determination, strength, and foresight. Despite a devastating auto accident that left her handicapped, Pauline MacNeal was involved in many community organizations including the Montrose Area Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. MacNeal was the driving force that helped the chamber grow. In the early years, she would call every member to remind him or her of an upcoming meeting. Her foresight helped the chamber grow and become an organization to better the community.

Chamber members established this permanently endowed scholarship to honor the memory of Mrs. MacNeal and to increase educational opportunities for students in their service area. Community Foundation Director of Development Peter Quigg thanked the Chamber for establishing this fund, adding "this scholarship will forever honor the memory of Mrs. MacNeal while also assisting local young people who have similar ambitions as hers."

This $500.00 college scholarship will be available to a student from Elk Lake or Montrose Area High Schools who achieves a 3.0 GPA in his or her first semester of college, will major in a business or economics related field, and who writes a winning 200 word essay about expectations and goals for life after college. The scholarship award will also be eligible for potential matching grants through the Foundations' involvement in a statewide program. The scholarship will be available in the Spring of 2009 and every year thereafter. Information and applications will be available through the guidance offices at Elk Lake or Montrose High Schools, and on The Community Foundation's web site where a Memorial Page in honor of Mrs. MacNeal has also been created. Those wishing to honor Mrs. MacNeal, while also enhancing the assistance available to future generations, may send their tax-deductible donations to The MacNeal Scholarship at The Community Foundation at 36 Lake Avenue in Montrose, PA 18801.