News Item

The Rose Pavluk Memorial Scholarships Offer. A New Financial Aid Opportunity for Delaware Students

by Celeste Amadon

The Delaware Indian News is honored to announce the Rose Pavluk Memorial Scholarships, a new initiative dedicated to supporting the educational aspirations of Delaware students. These scholarships will support students who are enrolled Tribal members seeking post high school education or training at a two- or four-year college, a technical/trade school, or graduate program.

This year, two scholarships of $1,500 will be awarded to full-time students and two scholarships of $500 will be available for part-time students. Ms. Pavluk plans to continue offering the scholarships and hopes that other donors outside the Tribe may be inspired by her example. Successful applicants may reapply for subsequent academic years. There is no cap on the total years one can receive a scholarship. The award will be made directly to the student. Applications will be accepted beginning July 1 through September 15 for fall semester and December 1 through February 15 for the spring semester.

The scholarships will be awarded based on need and an essay of up to 200 words: “Describe the Role of the Tribal Community in Your Life.” This initiative not only provides financial support but also encourages Delaware youth to reflect on and articulate the importance of their tribal community.

About Rose Pavluk

What moved Marina Pavluk to establish these scholarships in memory of her late mother Rose Marie Pavluk (née Marino)? Ms. Pavluk and her family are not members of the Delaware Tribe, nor do they reside in the Bartlesville area. The Pavluks hail from outside Philadelphia, around the area of Lenapehoking (the traditional homelands of the Lenape). In a Zoom meeting with the Delaware Tribal Council discussing her idea for these scholarships—a meeting which, poignantly, fell on what would have been her mother’s birthday—Pavluk emphasized her and her mother’s deep commitment to social justice and their awareness of the historical injustices faced by Native peoples. In an interview to discuss the scholarships, she spoke of her hope that they will be a tangible way to contribute to repairing the harm suffered by the Tribe and to honor her mother’s warm heart and compassion. She explained, “My mother harbored a deep empathy for Native peoples, and despite her modest means, made contributions to their causes.”

Rose Marie Pavluk spent her entire life in Pennsylvania. As the daughter of Italian immigrants, Rose was raised Catholic and did not attend college. However, she placed immense value on education and was a lifelong advocate for justice and equality. The 5’3” Rose worked in landscaping and despite her small stature, was a giant in extending a helping hand to others, particularly women and girls.

Marina, who holds a master’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and worked for the National Labor Relations Board for many years, has continued her mother’s legacy of advocacy. As a member of the Quaker faith, whose “leadings” emphasize social justice and spiritual callings, she is a member of the Right Relationship with the Lenape People Working Group within her Birmingham Friends community in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This group acknowledges and addresses the historical injustices faced by Native peoples, including the violent removal of the Lenape and their subsequent genocide.

Driven by a profound sense of the injustice done to the Lenape people who once called her region home, Marina subscribed to the Delaware Indian News and through reading it she began to understand some of the challenges and concerns of present-day tribal members. She gifted subscriptions to the DIN to the other members of her working group. “Our group started with a land acknowledgment, but realized there is a need to do something concrete beyond that to help heal and repair.” Native Americans remain the lowest college attending ethnicity in the United States, with the cost of attending a significant factor.

Rose Pavluk passed away in December 2019 at the age of 89. Marina believes Rose would have been thrilled about these scholarships, embodying her lifelong commitment to encouraging and uplifting others. “She would have been jumping up and down with excitement,” Marina reflected.

To Apply

To apply for a Rose Pavluk Memorial Scholarship email rosepavlukscholarship@delawaretribe.org or call 918-337-6590. For more information and downloadable applications visit Scholarship Opportunities or the tribal offices located at 5100 Tuxedo Blvd., Bartlesville OK.