P.E.O. SISTERHOOD | Fast facts

P.E.O. SISTERHOOD | Fast facts

About 30 women from the local Philanthropic Educational Organization chapter attended a recent luncheon at A la Cart Catering in Canfield to celebrate the international nonsectarian organization’s Founder’s Day, as well as the 60th anniversary of its Ohio Chapter CE. A brief look at P.E.O.’s history and offerings:

Seven female students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, founded the community-based organization Jan. 21, 1869. Chapter CE was established Jan. 22, 1954.

The sisterhood’s main objective is to provide and promote educational opportunities for women and has six philanthropies and projects. The six are an educational-loan fund providing loans to qualified applicants for higher education; International Peace scholarships for such students to pursue graduate study in the U.S. and Canada before returning to their homelands; a program for continuing education that offers needs-based grants to students whose schooling was interrupted; scholar awards to women pursuing doctorate degrees at accredited colleges or universities; STAR scholarships for exceptional high-school seniors to attend accredited postsecondary institutions; and Cottey College, a fully accredited women’s liberal arts and sciences college in Nevada, Mo., which P.E.O. has owned and operated since 1927.

More than 90,000 women, including the estimated 8,600 Cottey College graduates, have benefited from the six programs.

The Des Moines, Iowa-based P.E.O. has awarded more than $234.2 million in loans, scholarships, continuing- education efforts and awards.

Nearly 250,000 members belong to chapters in the U.S. and Canada.

Source: P.E.O.