Allyson Ritchey, a Shippensburg University first-year communication/journalism student, won the Horatio Alger Scholarship during her senior year of high school in 2020.
The Horatio Alger Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated financial need and overcome personal struggles and adversity in their lives. Ritchey received the national level prize of $25,000 and an invitation to the National Scholars Conference in Washington, D.C. The scholarship is awarded to only 106 students every year throughout the United States.
Ritchey was encouraged to apply by a high school counselor and she soon realized the opportunities the scholarship would give to her.
“I figured I might as well go for it, because the Horatio Alger Association Scholarship seemed to be made for me: A high achieving, well-rounded student who overcame adversity,” Ritchey said.
Ritchey is grateful to The Horatio Alger Association for helping her through a tough first year of college.
“Not only do I get the funds to pay for college, but I also have a large association that has my back and is going to support me throughout college and even after,” Ritchey said.
Ritchey is currently involved in SU’s marching band, concert band, wind ensemble, pep band, Lighthouse Academy, the Wood Honors College and Kappa Kappa Psi national honorary band fraternity. In the future, she plans to get involved with on-campus student media.
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