Watsonville resident Rachelann T. Daniel has donated $250,000 to a Pennsylvania-based foundation to provide $10,000 scholarships to high school seniors across America’s Western states who are pursuing careers in government service.
Daniel’s donation to the Washington Crossing Foundation establishes and endows the Laura Daniel Brown Western United States Scholarship Fund in memory of her daughter, Laura Daniel Brown, according to a media release.
Brown, who died in 2017, had a distinguished career in service to local governments in Santa Cruz County, including administrative analyst in the public works department, followed by assistant to the city manager, personnel director and assistant city manager. According to her obituary, she “had the distinction of being the first woman in every position” she was promoted to. She left the area in 1991 to become assistant city manager in Monterey before returning to serve as general manager of Soquel Creek Water District from 1995 to 2012.
“The highlight of her career was serving as general manager of Soquel Creek Water District in Santa Cruz,” the release said.
Eligible students applying for the new scholarship must be a resident of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington or Wyoming. Scholarship winners are awarded $2,500 per year for four years.
Brown herself was a recipient of a Washington Crossing Foundation scholarship in 1972.
The Washington Crossing Foundation has awarded more than $2 million to over 850 students across the country. Founded in 1970 by Ann Hawkes Hutton and Eugene C. Fish, the volunteer nonprofit is based in Bristol, Pennsylvania.
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