Three local women receive P.E.O. scholarships for higher education

LEAVENWORTH — The  Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Chapter JF - Leavenworth has announced the recipients of its local scholarship for the 2026-27 academic year.

P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization of women who provide support to other women in their educational pursuits. This year, they awarded scholarships to three women over 25 in the Wenatchee Valley area: Johanna Cogen, Alma Yuri Romero and Morgan Fraser.

Cogen just completed her first year in the Master's of Counseling program at Eastern Washington University. Cogen lives in Leavenworth and works as a barista at Argonaut Coffee and Biscuits. She has started an internship at Columbia Valley Community Health and is committed to providing mental health services to the diverse populations in the Wenatchee Valley, said P.E.O.

Romero, a resident of Wenatchee, is enrolled in the Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) program for Radiologic Technology. She is looking forward to clinical placement in the near future as she enters into her second year. P.E.O. said Romero is an “amazing example of someone who has found her strength and her power in the way of perseverance and determination.”

Fraser is pursuing a master's in counseling at Antioch University with a goal of becoming a mental health counselor. She hopes to provide services to the community, especially to the Spanish speaking population, according to P.E.O. 

Fraser grew up in Manson and currently lives in Leavenworth, where she works part-time for Upper Valley MEND. She received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Washington State University. Fraser has also lived and worked in many Spanish speaking countries and is fluent in Spanish.

P.E.O. Chapter JF is part of a larger nonprofit organization committed to advancing women’s education. Founded in 1869, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has awarded more than $490 million in scholarships, grants, awards, and loans to over 132,000 women. Through membership, it has brought together more than half a million women in the United States and Canada who are dedicated to helping women advance through education.

For more information about the local chapter or to learn how to donate, contact: peo.jf.leavenworth@gmail.com.