The Zonta Club of Utica Awards:
Diamond Z Award
Annually our committee selects a winner of the Diamond Z pin. The Diamond Z pin is awarded at the November business meeting to a member who has devoted significant amount of time and energy to further Zonta’s mission in the community and/or the world and it is passed on to the next recipient by a previous winner. Eligibility for the award is based on involvement in club activities and is not dependent upon the length of membership or experience as an officer. Selection of the recipient shall be based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:
- Attendance at monthly meetings
- Serving as a member and/or chair of committees
- Assisting with club service projects
- Active involvement in fundraising activities
- Participation in member recruitment and retention
Members who have been previous recipients are not eligible again.
The proud winner gets to wear the pin for the year.
Yellow Rose Letters
We send these out on International Women’s Day in March to honor women who have served as role models and given support to other women in their personal and professional lives. They are not members of Zonta, but women who have made a difference in someone’s life and most likely are “unsung” heroes. Zonta members submit names and addresses by mid-February.
High School Awards
We give out three High School Scholarships at our May dinner meeting. Each one of them is $1,000.
They are:
Jean M. Coon Humanitarian Award
The Jean M. Coon Humanitarian Award is given for outstanding community service. Nominees must be high school juniors or seniors. Academic achievement is NOT a factor. The winning application will be submitted to the Zonta District Level competition.
The Young Women in Public Affairs Award
The Young Women in Public Affairs Award is based on leadership in any social, policy making, government or volunteer organizations. Nominees must be between 16 and 19 years of age and enrolled in a secondary school. YMPA’s purpose is to encourage young women to participate in public and political life by recognizing their commitment to volunteerism and their leadership ability. The application will be sent on to both the District and International level for judging and possible additional monetary awards.
The Promise Award
The Promise Award is our Club’s unique opportunity for a young woman. This award is not designed for the best and the brightest, but for a student who may otherwise go unrecognized. The Zonta Club of Utica Promise Award is for a high school senior who resides in the Greater Utica area. She must have applied to a two or four-year college, university, or technical school. Her high school GPA must be within the range of 2.5 to 3.5 (75 to 88 percentile). Please note that if the GPA is above 88% (or under 75%) the applicant will NOT be considered.
This young woman should be an individual whom the high school principal or his/her designee feels shows promise, potential, and ambition. This is a local award and does not go on to the District level.
The application due date for The Promise Award is April 6.
All applications should be mailed to The Zonta Club of Utica, PO Box 8281, Utica, NY 13505. Applicants for the YWPA and JMC awards will be notified by May 1st, since these winners go on to the district level. These awards will be presented at our May club meeting.
Women in STEM Scholarship Award
Women in STEM Scholarship Description | Women in STEM Application
Women in STEM applications are due by May 15th
Eichler/Fox Award
Three scholarships of $1000 each are available annually to women who are resuming their education to prepare for employment or to achieve the education needed to improve their employment opportunities. Candidate must be a female student 25 years of age or older. She must demonstrate significant need after all other forms of financial assistance have been exhausted. Funds may be used for any college or personal expense related to the accomplishment of the applicant’s educational goal.
Applicants must reside or attend school in Utica or its immediate suburbs and must be carrying a minimum of six credit hours of study per semester. Previous winners of a Zonta scholarship may reapply in subsequent years.