Joanna Alston, business administration instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Jefferson Davis Campus, has received the Emma Giles Scholarship from The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. A member of the society’s Alpha Lambda Chapter in Mississippi, she is attending The University of Southern Mississippi, where she is majoring in adult education.

Recipients of the scholarship were announced following the scholarship committee’s recent meeting at DKG Society Headquarters in Austin, Texas. Only eight scholarships of $10,000 each were awarded nationally for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Recipients must have earned a bachelor’s degree, be enrolled in a recognized graduate program and have been a society member for at least three years to qualify for scholarship consideration. Since its scholarship program began in 1940, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International has given 1,100 women educators $4 million in scholarships.

In addition to the international scholarships, many state organizations and local chapters have scholarship funds to assist members pursuing graduate study. In 2015, all three levels of the Society provided approximately $492,143.19 in scholarships for members.

The Delta Kappa Gamma honor society for women educators promotes excellence in education and personal and professional growth of women educators. The society leads in the field of graduate scholarships given to members and emphasizes leadership development for its more than 74,000 members in 17 countries.