The three winners of the 2022 Maureen J. Garrity Scholarship for Women are all interested in serving others.
Saya Geisendorfer is a student-athlete at Quincy Senior High School, Quincy, IL. An high honor roll student, Saya has organized many activities that involve helping others, such as the Quincy Medical Groups Cancer Crush fundraiser, Operation Christmas Child and Beta Club and Key Club food drives. She received the Volunteer Champion of the Year Award at the Beaux-Arts Ball for her hours of volunteering at the Art Center.
Saya is an experienced golfer and has participated in Pepsi Little People’s for many years. While she has many hobbies, such as playing the piano, singing, swimming and skating, academics have always come first in her life.
“Whether I am a ballerina or a dermatologist, what matters most to me is that I am helping as many people as I can with my work,” she states.
Tessa Lawson is currently a student at Boylan Catholic High School, Rockford, IL. She considers golf a huge part of her life and hopes to pursue it in her college career.
“Outside of golf,” she says, “I spend my time volunteering for my local park district teaching young kids how to golf”. She also volunteers for Festa Italiana, a local event where she can celebrate her culture. She hopes to become a nurse and help others who are struggling through an illness.
“I have many family members who have had to stay in hospitals,” she says, “and watching the nurses help patients inspired me.”
Lauren Cervantes is a senior at University High School in Normal, IL. In her spare time she enjoys playing golf with friends and reading, and plans to study Biology in college, with hopes of becoming a Physician’s Assistant.
Lauren volunteers at Easter Seals’ Timber Pointe Outdoor Center in the summer at well as the Special Olympics and at Midwest Foodbank.
“I participate in my school’s Spanish and Sexuality and Gender Alliance club,” says Lauren, “and play on the varsity golf team.”
Although unsure about playing golf in college, she knows she will always play for fun with friends and family.
The Maureen J. Garrity Scholarship for Women was established to honor Dr. Garrity, who spent 34 years at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and was particularly impactful in supporting student-led programs on leadership, community service, and social determinants of health.
Maureen was a long-time supporter and volunteer with Pepsi Little People’s, winning the 2017 Little People’s Volunteer of the year Award. She passed away in December of 2018 after a long battle with cancer.
The MJG Scholarship is ongoing and will be available to young women who will be graduating in 2023 or 2024 and who will be participating in the 2023 Pepsi Little People’s Golf Championships. To apply, each applicant must submit a current high school transcript and write a personal essay describing herself, her career aspirations, and her community service activities.
ABOUT PEPSI LITTLE PEOPLE’S
The Pepsi Little People’s Golf Championships is an international junior golf competition for boys and girls aged 3 through 18. The 50th annual tournament will be held June 19-21, 2023, at two golf courses in Quincy, IL, USA. Competition is held in seven age divisions for boys and seven age divisions for girls. More information is available at www.littlepeoplesgolf.com, or by contacting Nan Ryan, Tournament Director, at jrgolfer@littlepeoplesgolf.com, or call or text 217-257-5718.
