P.E.O. Makes a Difference
P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization for women founded on January 21, 1869, by seven students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. This circle of kindred spirits – bonded by their enthusiasm for women’s opportunities – eventually expanded to include women off campus, as well. Today, P.E.O. has grown from that tiny membership of seven to nearly a quarter of a million members in chapters throughout the U.S. and Canada, with headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa.
Friendship is the cornerstone of P.E.O. – it is the legacy left by our Founders and it thrives in our unique Sisterhood. P.E.O. exists to be a source of encouragement and support for women to realize their potential in whatever worthwhile endeavor they choose.
Our sisterhood proudly makes a difference in women’s lives with six philanthropies that include ownership of a women’s college, Cottey College, and five projects that provide higher educational assistance:
P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization for women founded on January 21, 1869, by seven students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. This circle of kindred spirits – bonded by their enthusiasm for women’s opportunities – eventually expanded to include women off campus, as well. Today, P.E.O. has grown from that tiny membership of seven to nearly a quarter of a million members in chapters throughout the U.S. and Canada, with headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa.
Friendship is the cornerstone of P.E.O. – it is the legacy left by our Founders and it thrives in our unique Sisterhood. P.E.O. exists to be a source of encouragement and support for women to realize their potential in whatever worthwhile endeavor they choose.
Our sisterhood proudly makes a difference in women’s lives with six philanthropies that include ownership of a women’s college, Cottey College, and five projects that provide higher educational assistance:
P.E.O. Philanthropic Projects
P.E.O. International has six projects supporting women's education. Millions of dollars in low-interest loans and scholarships are handed out each year to women in various stages of their educational journey. See below for additional information.
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Cottey College is a fully accredited liberal arts college for women at Nevada, Missouri, owned and operated by the P.E.O. Sisterhood since 1927. Educational Loan Fund (ELF) Makes loans available to qualified women who desire higher education and are in need of financial assistance. Interest rate is 3.0% International Peace Scholarship (IPS) Fund provides scholarships for international women students to pursue graduate study in the United States and Canada. Program for Continuing Education (PCE) Provides need-based grants to women in the United States and Canada whose education has been interrupted and who find it necessary to return to school to support themselves and/or their families. The maximum one-time grant is $3,000. Scholar Awards (PSA) Provides substantial merit-based awards for women of the United States and Canada who are pursuing a doctoral level degree at an accredited college or university. STAR Provides a $2,500 award to high school senior women who wish to pursue post-secondary education. Georgia Scholarship Fund Provides financial assistance to women who are either a high school graduate; undergraduate or graduate student of a accredited college or university; a resident of Georgia and has a GPA of at least 3.25. Chapter V Georgia Scholarship Awards $1,000 to one woman annually who is either from the state of Georgia or attending an accredited college or university in the state of Georgia. All grants, scholarships and loans, with the exception of the International Peace Scholarship (IPS), require applicants be sponsored by a local chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. |