Cyndi Loza

The Nevada Women’s Fund honored 88 scholarship recipients at its annual scholarship reception Wednesday.

The organization distributed more than $185,000 for scholarships to Nevada women this year.

“This event is a very special occasion for the organization because it gives us an opportunity once a year to bring together our scholarship donors with our scholarship receipts so that they can meet one another and so our scholarship recipients can say thank you,” said Denise Yoxsimer, NWF president and CEO.

Since 1982, the organization has distributed more than $4 million in scholarships to nearly 1,000 women and organizations.

Applicants are selected based on academic standing and financial need.

“Our ultimate goal is to help and support women become more financially secure so that they can grow and help support their families,” Yoxsimer said. “We feel the best way we can do that is to help support their education so that we can help them get well paying jobs in fields they enjoy.”

Karon McDonald, 49, received $1,000 from the America Association of University Women Reno Memorial Scholarship and $1,000 from the E.L Cord Foundation Scholarship.

“It feels wonderful,” said McDonald, a mental health technician and developmental disabilities student at the Truckee Meadows Community College. “I know I can do it but them helping me do it financially just gives me incentive to do better and to do my best.”