Elizabeth Mae Kobeszka
Memorial Scholarship
The
Elizabeth Mae Kobeszka Scholarship Fund of The Findlay-Hancock
County Community
Foundation was established in 2007 by her mother, Vickie
Kobeszka, and her family including sisters Christy and Katie.
They established this fund to honor Elizabeth (Beth), a 2001
valedictorian at Liberty Benton High School.
During her
junior year of high school, Beth took it into her own hands to
contact Zonta of Findlay and meet with their members to
establish a Z Club chapter at Liberty Benton. Z Club is a youth
organization whose members work to improve their society and the
world. She served as the first president of Liberty Benton’s Z
Club. In high school, she was valedictorian, senior class
president and was the captain of both her cross country and
track teams. In 2001, Beth was the named national winner of the
Amateur Athletic Union’s Youth Excel Award. This award is given
to a high school athlete who has excelled in academics,
athletics and community service while overcoming adversity. In
2002, Beth was chosen as an Olympic Torch Runner.
After high
school, Beth attended Northwestern University, where she was an
honors student, Habitat For Humanity volunteer, talented
musician and world traveler. She participated on the women’s
cross country team and was named to the Academic All-Big 10
Team. She was also an admired and active member of Delta Zeta
sorority. Friends remember a girl who worked hard, was modest
about her accomplishments, and was always able to cheer people
up with her jokes and positive attitude. Beth’s friends and
sorority sisters enjoyed spending time with Beth because of her
unique sense of humor. In 2003, Beth was awarded The Council of
One Hundred’s Trailblazer Award. Each year this women’s alumni
mentoring group at Northwestern presents the Trailblazer Award
to an outstanding undergraduate woman who has demonstrated
courage, initiative, innovation, risk-taking, and leadership.
After
graduation, Beth worked as a sales representative for Johnson &
Johnson in Chicago. An avid triathlete, she also joined the XXX
Racing Team and began competing in bike races throughout the
region. On June 30, 2007, at the age of 24, Beth was killed in
a biking accident during the 20th Annual Proctor Cycling Classic
in Peoria, Illinois. Continuing her lifelong legacy of helping
others, Beth was an organ donor.
Not only was
Beth a former TCF scholarship recipient having received the
Marie Berry Scholarship (2001-2004), both her sister, Katie, and
mother, Vickie, are also TCF scholarship recipients. Katie, a
2004 Liberty Benton graduate, received the Jean C. Graham
Women’s Scholarship, the Marie Berry Scholarship and the Floyd
and Alice Curran Scholarship. Vickie received the Findlay Branch
AAUW scholarship in 2004. The Kobeszka Family wanted to
establish this scholarship in Hancock County, specifically for
Liberty Benton, because of the community support they had
received since moving to Findlay. This is the first TCF
scholarship for Liberty Benton High School.
Standards for
Determining Eligibility
-
The
applicant must be a graduating senior of Liberty Benton High
School.
-
The
applicant must plan to be a full-time student enrolled for
their first year at an accredited university, college,
technical school, or community college.
-
The
applicant must have maintained a 3.25 GPA or above while in
high school.
-
The
applicant must demonstrate a positive attitude and be ready
and willing to go above and beyond..
-
The
applicant must be involved in the community and/or church
(i.e. Z-club, Habitat for Humanity, etc.).
-
Applicant
must be a resident of Hancock County and a citizen of the
United States of America.
-
Financial
need is a requirement
-
Students
who receive full tuition scholarship support from other
organizations or institutions will not be considered for
this scholarship.
