Shawna Petrosky Memorial Scholarship

Shawna Petrosky was born August 24, 1991. She is the daughter/stepdaughter of Rhonda and Dan Petras, sister of Bubba Petrosky and stepsister of Jessica Petras. Shawna was a junior at Ford City High School and an active member of the student body. She participated in the Junior Class Cabinet, SADD, Student Council, Senior High Chorus, and was the Junior Varsity Cheerleading Captain. Shawna was willing to try anything and had participated in many sports such as basketball, volleyball, track, and powder puff football. She was a member of the band in fourth grade, playing the flute. Shawna had been involved in cheerleading since elementary school; cheering for Ford City Youth Football and then on to high school cheerleading. She was also a member of the Keystone Tall Tree Girl Scouts for nine years.

Shawna was a very outgoing young lady with a larger-than-life personality. She had the ability to light up a room and change anyone’s mood with a flash of her beautiful smile. It was rare to find her having a bad day as nothing ever seemed to get her down. She always had something positive to say and would take the time to listen and talk to anyone. She always knew what to say to make you feel better about yourself. Shawna loved spending time with her family, her friends, and Ian. She also enjoyed shopping; listening to her I pod, text messaging, being on My Space, and being tan. Traveling with G-Ma and Pap was something she enjoyed. Her favorite place was the beach.

Shawna had given much thought to her future. When she was in grade school, she was determined to become a veterinarian. That changed around eighth grade in one trip to the vet with her dog, Jasmine. When we walked in, someone was there with a goat. Her only question was “Why is that here?” That was when she realized that she would need to treat all types of animals, not just little 17 lb. dogs like hers. After that visit, being a veterinarian was no longer a career option she wanted to explore. Finally, by her junior year, Shawna had decided on pharmacy.

It was the last week of March, 2008. Shawna had recently returned from a Disney World vacation with her family. She was looking forward to shopping for her prom gown, making plans for her “senior week” Ocean City beach trip, and summer vacation. The excitement of how close she was to her senior year was almost impossible to contain. On Wednesday morning, March 26, Shawna, her brother Bubba, and her cousin Greg were on their way to school. They were involved in a tragic auto accident. Shawna’s plans for an amazing future were ended. The accident took the life of Shawna Lynn Petrosky—a lovable, positive, full-of-promise young lady from whom we could have learned much. A scholarship fund was immediately established by friends to help the family deal with their loss in a positive way. We will never completely get over the loss of Shawna. However, we can hope that her scholarship will continue to have a positive impact on the lives of other young adults and help them reach their goals and make a difference in the world.

Scholarship Details

• Available to High School Seniors
• Nonrenewable
• Approximately $2,050 available
• Applicant must:
  • Be a graduating senior from Armstrong High School majoring in the health care field (with preference given to a major in pharmacy)
  • Be enrolled to attend an accredited four year college, university, or other post-secondary institution in the United States

All applicants must complete the online scholarship application, including his/her response to the following essay question.

Essay question

Please write a personal statement of no more than one page expressing your reasons for choosing a career in pharmacy or healthcare, including your career aspirations and goals. You may incorporate any role-models you’ve had and the criteria you believe comprise a quality professional in your field.

Past Recipients

• 2010-11 Erica Alcibiade
• 2011-12 Christopher Ignatz
• 2012-13 Melissa Fello
• 2013-14 Sydney Hand
• 2014-15 Kaitlyn Mazzotta
• 2015-16 Christina Davis
• 2016-17 Taylor Relich
• 2017-18 Jessica Myschisin
• 2018-19 Adam Cippel & Lauren Virostek
• 2019-20 Olivia Emmonds
• 2020-21 Gram Hepner
• 2021-22 Brailey Frankhouser & Kylie Frankhouser
• 2022-23 Olivia Pawk