Women in Focus 2026 Scholarship Recipients: Empowering Dr. King’s Beloved Community
From Women in Focus
Since 1983, Women ion Focus has been single-minded in its promotion of educational excellence for underrepresented students in Dane County. It is a sisterhood of about 28 passionate women striving to provide support for each other and to celebrate the gifts that each woman brings with her presence. Membership brings a commitment to these values.
Women in Focus supports educational excellence through its literacy program by distributing books and conducting group activities that encourage kids to read. We are currently working with the family shelter at the Salvation Army, in addition to the Juneteenth celebration and other community events.
Since 1986, Women in Focus has raised money through our signature I Have a Dream Ball each January for its scholarship program. On April 26, 2026, with thte awarding of 33 scholarships, Women in Focuse has now granted scholarships to 506 deserving scholars worth over $1 million. These include Memorial Scholarships given in honor of Dr. Virginia Henderson, Dr. Gloria Jones-Bey, Rose Brown and Jan Studesville, founding members of Women in Focus. Our 2026 Scholarship Recipients are:
*Alleanah Hancock-Jammeh, Attending UW-Madison
WIF 2025 2 Year Scholarship Award
*Angie Barrera Gonzalez, Attending UW-Madison
WIF 2025 2 Year Scholarship Award
*Camila Cruz, Attending Aveda Institute To Study Esthiology
2025 Dr. Virginia Henderson Memorial 2 Year Scholarship
*Jhonny Mejia, Attending UW-Madison
2025 WIF 2 Year Scholarship Award
*Lavell Rattliffe, Attending UW-Madison
2025 WIF 2 Year Scholarship Award
*Lina Arach, Attending UW-Madison
2025 Gloria Jones Bey Memorial 2 Year Scholarship
2026 1 Year WIF Scholarship Funded By Kim Robinson
*Yarielly Bautista Caballero, Attending Madison College for Culinary Arts
2025 Rose Ann Brown Memorial 2 Year Scholarship
*Jaylen Eubanks, Attending UW-Madison in Human Development & Family Studies
2025 Ladonna Smith 4 Year Memorial Scholarship, Funded by Paul Smith
*James Reiter, Vel Phillips Memorial High School/Madison College
2026 In Memory of Ms. Milele Chikasa Anana, 1 Year Scholarship
Funded By Milele Chikasa Anana Educational Endowment at MCF
Will Attend Madison College in Pre-Law Studies
*Deanthony Mcdaniel, Deforest Area High School
Bob Schwan Memorial 1 Year Scholarship, Funded by Kiwanis Club Madison East
Will Attend Carthage College to Study Sports Management and Business
*Janavi Patel, Sun Prairie West High School
WIF1 Year Scholarship Award, Funded By Oak Park Place
Will Attend UW-Madison to Study Business Management
*Jazzlynn Walker, La Follette High School/Madison College
WIF 1 Year Scholarship Award, Funded by Ashro
Will Attend UW-Madison for Forensic Psychology
*Mallak Gadelhak, Middleton High School
WIF1 Year Scholarship Award, Funded by Anna and Andy Burish
Will Attend UW-Madison for Legal Studies
*Miracle Rainey, Madison East High School
WIF 2 Year Scholarship, Funded by Girl’s Biz
Will Attend Morgan State University for Business Administration
*Ousman Njai, Monona Grove High School
Marlene Listwan 1 Year Memorial Scholarship, Funded by William Listwan, MD
Will Attend UW-Milwaukee and Plans to Study Kinesiology
*Owen Ayite Atayi, Verona Area High School
WIF 1 Year Scholarship, Funded by Nancy Wrenn Bauch and Jim Bauch
Will Attend Indiana Columbus University to Study Nursing
*Saidu Njie, Madison East High School
WIF 1 Year Scholarship, Funded by Exact Sciences
Plans to Study Computer Sciences
*Ziairra Cockrell, Vel Phillips Memorial High School/Madison College
WIF 2 Year Scholarship, Funded by Gabrielle Banick and Gary Schwager
Will Attend University of Houston to Study Social Work
*Wilson Foueppe, Madison East High School/ Madison College
Julius Morgan Memorial 2 Year Scholarship, Funded by Morgan Educational Endowment at MCF
Will Attend UW-Madison for Nuclear Engineering
*Alyne Espinoza, Madison East High School
WIF 2 Year Scholarship Award,
Will Attend UW-Madison to Study Music Education
*Destiny Wallace, Vel Phillips Memorial High School
WIF 2 Year Scholarship Award
Will Attend Tennessee State University to Study Biology
*Ja'Mya Calloway, Madison East High School
WIF 2026 2 Year Scholarship Award
Plans to Study Microbiology
*Jasmine Teobal Flores, Madison West High School
WIF 2026 1 Year Scholarship Award
Will Attend Madison College for Social Work Pre-Major
*London-Marie Tafor, Vel Phillips Memorial High School
WIF 2026 2 Year Scholarship Award
Will Attend Coppin State University to Study Criminal Justice
*Neveah Conklin, Madison East High School
WIF 2026 2 Year Scholarship Award
Will Attend Lawrence University to Study Political Science
*Tasha Noel, Capital High School
WIF 2026 2 Year Scholarship Award
Will Attend UW-Madison to Study Criminal Justice
*Vanaysha Souphakdy, Monona Grove High School
WIF 2026 2 Year Scholarship Award
Will Attend UW-Madison to Study Environmental Science and Public Policy
*Ayana Bellmon, Vel Philips Memorial High School
2026 Gloria Jones Bey Memorial 2 Year WIF Scholarship
Will Attend UW-Milwaukee to Study Biomedical Sciences
*Janeth Reyes Florencio, Sun Prairie West High School
2026 Rose Ann Brown Memorial 2 Year WIF Scholarship
Will Attend Edgewood University to Study Business
*Sheila Gandjui, Madison East High School/ Madison College/UW-Madison
2026 Dr Virginia Henderson Memorial 2 Year WIF Scholarship
Plans To Attend UW-Madison To Study Communication Disorders
*Taikiah Phillips, Continuing Scholar At UW-Madison
2026 Jan Studesville Memorial High School 1 Year WIF Scholarship
Studying Business Administration and Human Resources
*Tandalaya Taylor, Continuing Scholar At UW-Stevens Point
2026 Jan Studesville Memorial 1 Year WIF Scholarship
Studying Social Work
*Lakyn Clash, La Follette High School/Madison College
2026 Women in Focus 4 Year Inspiring Founders Scholarship
Will Attend University of Minnesota-Twin Cities to Study Elementary Education