Zonta Club announced $20K Patty J. Barton Memorial Scholarship recipient

The Coos Bay Area Zonta Service Foundation is proud to announce the fifth Patty J. Barton Memorial Scholarship is awarded to Gina Podesta, Brookings, OR. This is a $20,000 renewable award to be issued over qualifying terms as the requirements of performance are met. Patty J. Barton was a long time Zonta member with a passion for women choosing to face their life’s challenges by improving their status through education. Gina Podesta exemplifies these qualities and goals. Patty’s husband, Jon Barton, began the scholarship fund from donations upon Patty’s death in 2018. Through club fundraising efforts, we have been able to grow and now use the funds to honor Patty with this award that will support Gina in her pursuit of a nursing degree.

Gina grew up in Sacramento and lived in the California Bay Area before moving to Brookings to be near family in 2010. Knowing that she wanted to do something in the medical field, in 2017 Gina enrolled at Southwestern Oregon Community College to become an EMT. After working in the ER in both Gold Beach and Brookings, she decided nursing would be a good fit and returned to SWOCC in 2020 to begin prerequisite classes necessary to apply to the nursing program. Upon graduating from the nursing program at the Curry Campus of Southwestern Oregon Community College in June 2024, Gina will enroll in either Linfield University or Oregon Health and Science University for her final year to earn a BSN. While uncertain where her nursing career will take her, she currently plans to return to the Brookings area, with goal to make every patient she cares for feel seen and heard.

While a student at the Curry Campus of SWOCC, Gina was involved in student government focusing on supporting student needs including study groups, worksheets and basic food pantry supplies.

The Zonta Foundation received 17 amazing applicants for this scholarship and the decision was difficult. The selection process reduced the pool to six applicants who received personal interviews. Shirley MacAdam, the PJB Scholarship Chair said, “It is inspirational to witness the many women on the Southern Oregon Coast pursuing their college educations all over the United States and in a variety of fields. We encourage all of you to keep an eye on our club website zontacoosbayarea.org every January for the many scholarships we plan to continue to provide. A sixth PJB Scholarship will be awarded in 2025.” Scholarship donations can be made by visiting our website: zontacoosbayarea.org.