On the heels of an educational series presented for Women's History Month, Shawn D. Ruger, a 1995 Brockport High School graduate, has announced the funding of a scholarship to be given each year to a graduating BHS senior. The Dorothy J. Ruger Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000 gift that will be given annually to the young woman or man who, throughout her/his academic career, has contributed the most to the advancement of women and the promotion of gender issues. The scholarship will be funded by a $30,000 sustaining grant that Ruger has made in the establishment of the Dorothy J. Ruger Foundation for the Advancement of Women.

Applications for the scholarship were accepted throughout March and April. The foundation's Board of Advisors and Scholarship Selection Committee will announce a winner in late May. "There are many fantastic candidates for this year's inaugural scholarship," said Ruger. "Our Board (of Advisors) and Selection Committee are very pleased with the quality of this year's candidates. This is an impressive group of young women and men - a fantastic showing for the first year. We are very excited about selecting this year's winner."

Ruger, the founder and CEO of the Ruger Foundation, has been working for the past year with Mike Myers, dean of students and Kathy Jaccarino, librarian from Brockport High School to promote an environment more conducive to educating young people about the importance of gender equity in our society. In March, Ruger funded a series of educational programs at Brockport High School to celebrate Women's History Month, including a discussion of the book "By and About Women", a presentation by the director of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and a dramatic presentation of Susan B. Anthony’s life by renowned actress Gretchen Murray Sepik. "This is a tremendous relationship that we (the foundation) have been building with Brockport High School," said Ruger. "I am elated to be in a position to give back to the community that has given me so much."

"This is a perfect example of a former student doing what he or she can to give back to the school district that provided an early opportunity to succeed in life," said Myers.