The GSW Education Foundation launched in 2007 as the primary vehicle to empower New Jersey women through live events focusing on key areas of importance to women wanting to take more effective control of their lives.

Currently the Education Foundation organizes two financial and one health conference & networking events yearly. The first financial event in 2008 occurred in May in Florham Park. The second financial conference & networking event will occur in September in Tinton Falls.

The 2008 health conference & networking event will occur on November 8 in a location TBA.

Proceeds from the conferences & networking events support the Garden State Woman Education Foundation’s Scholarship Fund.

Scholarship Fund:
The scholarship fund provides financial assistance to carefully selected, exceptionally motivated, talented and in-need females graduating from NJ’s inner city public high schools and planning to attend four-year NJ colleges or universities.

They are the Garden State Woman Scholars.

In 2007, the foundation awarded to Sha ‘Rita Williams, a graduate of Central High School in Newark. She recently completed her first year at Seton Hall University, where she studies criminal justice.

In 2008, four talented graduates from the Paterson public high school system received scholarships. They are:

- Mecca Johnson, attending William Paterson College
- Mahmuda Choudbury, attending Rutgers University
- Karen Flores, attending Rutgers University
- Ailicec Urrego-Daza, attending Rutgers University

Mentors and Paid Internships:
The foundation also works to find female mentors and paid internships for the selected young women. We also plan to involve them heavily in the various Garden State Woman programs. For example, they will write about their college experiences in our magazine and we invite them to attend our various events during the year. In short, we want to expose them to as many smart, capable and successful NJ women as possible.

How You Can Help:
You can support our hands-on efforts to positively change the lives of our Garden State Woman scholars, who are committed to growing beyond difficult inner-city circumstances. We believe education and exposure to successful women and positive new experiences will be one of the keys to helping our Garden State Woman scholars succeed in the future.

You can help by mentoring one of our scholars or by having your organization provide meaningful, paid internship opportunities. Our scholars are smart, determined, and they work hard. They will add value to whatever organizations they join. They are not looking for token, handout mundane temporary jobs. We also believe they deserve pay and accountability for the quality of their efforts.

You can make a direct financial contribution to the foundation’s scholarship fund by sending a check – any amount appreciated – to Garden State Woman Education Foundation Scholarship Fund at 210 Parker Road, Long Valley, NJ 07853.

If you have any questions, ideas or would like to get involved in the efforts of the Garden State Woman Education Foundation, please call: Judy Chapman, Founder, at 908-879-7143 or e-mail jchapman@gswoman.com.