ACCL Announces 2025 Scholarship Applications and Introduces New Nursing Scholarship
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2025
The Armstrong Center for Community Learning (ACCL), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to support post-secondary education and workforce development in Armstrong County by connecting people to resources to enhance lifelong learning, released applications for its portfolio of post-secondary scholarships.
The 2025 scholarships include the ACCL Post-Secondary Scholarship, Future Nurses of Armstrong County Scholarship (New for 2025), William R. Schall Memorial Scholarship, and the Ralph & Mary Lou McAllister Scholarship. High school seniors, post-secondary students and adults beginning post-secondary education may apply. Applications, which are due on April 15, 2025, are available at www.armstrongcenter.org/scholarships.
The ACCL Post-Secondary Scholarship is offered for the third consecutive year. The ACCL will award these scholarships to students who are or will be enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution or program. Priority will be given to first-generation college students (looking back to the applicant’s parents and grandparents). Multiple scholarships will be awarded. To be eligible for the ACCL Post-Secondary Scholarship, applicants:
- Must be or will be enrolled (Fall 2025) in an accredited post-secondary institution;
- Must be a resident of Armstrong County.
New this year is the Future Nurses of Armstrong County Scholarship, thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous donor. Due to a significant segment of the nursing workforce nearing retirement age, and nursing school enrollment not growing fast enough to meet the projected demand for new nurses, this scholarship will remove financial barriers for future nurses to ensure that patients have access to safe, high-quality nursing services. Multiple scholarships may be awarded. To be eligible for the Future Nurses of Armstrong County Scholarship, applicants:
- Must be or will be pursuing nursing education for practical, diploma, associates and/or bachelor’s nursing degrees;
- Must be or will be enrolled in an accredited post-secondary nursing program;
- Must be a resident of Armstrong County.
The William R. Schall Memorial Scholarship was introduced last year and was established in memory of the late William R. Schall for the purpose of providing scholarships for post-secondary education leading to a degree in the environmental and agricultural industries. Multiple scholarships will be awarded. To be eligible for the William R. Schall Memorial Scholarship, applicants:
- Must be or will be enrolled (Fall 2025) in an accredited post-secondary education program. This can include trade schools, community colleges and four-year universities;
- Must be pursuing a career in an environmental or agricultural field. This can include: Biology (not including medical), Ecology, Geology, Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental Education or other Environmental and Agricultural fields of study;
- Must reside in Armstrong County or be a graduate from a high school in Armstrong County.
The Ralph & Mary Lou McAllister Scholarship was established by the late Mary Lou McAllister for the purpose of providing scholarships for college education leading to a Bachelor's Degree for students who reside in Ford City Borough or at a residence with a Ford City Post Office address. Multiple scholarships will be awarded. To be eligible for the McAllister Scholarship, applicants:
- Must be or will be enrolled (Fall 2025) in a four-year college leading toward a Bachelor's Degree;
- Must be a Ford City resident, meaning the applicant's primary residence has a 16226 zip code.
Additional information about each scholarship, including the online application, is available at www.armstrongcenter.org/scholarships. Since 2004, the ACCL has awarded 115 post-secondary scholarships totaling $282,500 to Armstrong County residents.
The ACCL was incorporated in 1963 as the Armstrong Educational Trust, which was initially responsible for attracting Indiana University of Pennsylvania to open a branch campus in Armstrong County. One of nine Community Education Councils in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the ACCL provides personal and professional career advancement opportunities to residents throughout western Pennsylvania. The ACCL is an authorized test center for Pearson VUE and PSI, providing professional certification and licensure exams helping industries and individuals make an impact on their professions, communities, and the lives of others.
The ACCL also provides testing for the GED and HiSET high school equivalency exams and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) from College Board. The ACCL partners with ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 and PLATO Online Learning to guide adult learners toward their certificate or degree, including high school equivalency, English as a Second Language (ESL), and the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) which assesses a student’s knowledge and readiness for nursing school.
The ACCL also operates the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek (ODC) and its educational and recreational programming for people of all ages. Businesses and organized groups can rent the ACCL and ODC facilities for employee training, meetings, workshops and retreats. Visit www.armstrongcenter.org for additional information about the ACCL and ODC.
For questions, please contact Justin Nolder at [email protected] or call 724-543-2599.