OLEAN, N.Y., August 24, 2023 — Three recent area graduates received scholarship awards managed by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation to pursue degrees in the nursing and mental health fields.

Payton Fortuna and Marissa Rose received the Pat McGee Nursing Scholarship.

The scholarship is given to traditional and non-traditional students from the 57th State Senate District, which includes much of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, who are pursuing nursing degrees. Established through the Pat McGee Endowment Fund, the scholarship memorializes the 57th district’s late state senator.

Fortuna, of Allegany-Limestone Central School, received a $1,400 award. Park, a graduate of Ten Broeck Academy/Franklinville Central School, received $400.

Fortuna will study nursing at St. Bonaventure University. Rose will attend Genesee Community College to study nursing.

Gabriella Wilson received the first-ever Sondra J. Fox Scholarship for $2,000.

Established by Ruth D. Palmquist, Sondra J. Fox and Laurel S. Daise, this fund’s purpose is to provide a scholarship for a student from Cattaraugus or McKean County who is pursuing a career in the mental health field with first preference for a student in a master’s level program and second preference for an undergraduate college student who will be entering his/her junior or senior year. Major fields include, but are not limited to, counseling, social work and psychiatric nursing.

Wilson, a Portville Central School graduate, is currently enrolled at Syracuse University where she is pursuing her master’s in social work with a clinical focus.

Donations can be made to either of these funds at CRCF, 301 North Union St., Suite 203 or online at cattfoundation.org.