PEO Sisterhood

If it weren't for P.E.O., I wouldn't have made it this year. Not without my sanity that is, anyways. I am so thankful for my sisters. And honestly my chapter is amazing at making you feel at home. There are times when it's time for a meeting, and you are so worn out you can't even think about leaving the house, not even for a gathering of sisters. (I don't have biological sisters, so for me to have these sisters is a god send.) But If you make yourself go, you'll find that it's just what you needed to recharge your batteries. To vent about life and to get a renewed feeling of "everything's going to be ok" and "you are a strong woman, you can handle this; you can do this!". It's just truly amazing.

You might be saying to yourself, What is P.E.O.? Well, P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans, and stewardship of Cottey College; and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations.

P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), one of the pioneer societies for women, was founded on January 21, 1869, by seven students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Originally a small campus friendship society, P.E.O. soon blossomed to include women off campus.

      Today, P.E.O. has grown from that tiny membership of seven to almost a quarter of a million members in chapters in the United States and Canada. The P.E.O. Sisterhood is passionate about its mission: promoting educational opportunities for women. Our sisterhood proudly makes a difference in women's lives with six philanthropies that include ownership of a two-year women's college (which now has various 4 year programs), Cottey College, and five programs that provide higher educational assistance

 P.E.O. STAR Scholarship

P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund

P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund

P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education

P.E.O. Scholar Awards

 P.E.O. is a sisterhood. We have chapters all over each state of the US and parts of Canada. We are a group of all women who support and celebrate women in their every day lives. We raise money to put into our projects, aka scholarships, loan funds, and our very own College. We also have a few other funds to help out women in need. For someone who never had sisters growing up, this group is a great opportunity to have. To be able to lean on a sister. To have so many sisters, all over the country. To know you will always have someone to go to about anything going on in your life. I just feel the need to tell everyone about this group that means so much to me. 

I am proud to say I am part of a women's group. I am proud to say that I am a third generation P.E.O. My mom and my mimi are all P.E.O.'s, along with some extended family as well. Once you are a sister of P.E.O., you are always a sister. Whether you are an active member or not. 

P.E.O. was 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 almost 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.

True to the mission of promoting educational opportunities for women, education continues to be the primary philanthropy of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. In fact, the P.E.O. Sisterhood proudly sponsors no less than six international philanthropies, or projects, designed to assist women with their educational goals.

As a result, P.E.O. is clearly making a difference in the lives of women all over the world. Nearly 88,000 women have benefited from our organization's educational grants, loans, awards, special projects and stewardship of Cottey College. To date, P.E.O. has awarded Educational Loan Fund dollars totaling almost $136 million, International Peace Scholarships are more than $28 million, Program for Continuing Education grants are almost $40.5 million, Scholar Awards are nearly $15 million and P.E.O. STAR Scholarships are more than $1.9 million. In addition, 8,500 women have graduated from Cottey College.

Grant, loan, and award recipients – as well as Cottey College students – need not be members of P.E.O. With the exception of international students who receive International Peace Scholarships, each recipient is sponsored by a P.E.O. chapter. This allows the chapter members to be a meaningful part of "their" student's life.

This is only a small amount of information of this amazing group. I only hope you decide to ask me about more information or look it up for yourself. Ask me if you are interested in finding a local chapter! I'd love to share this great group with the wonderful women of my life! 

http://www.peointernational.org/about-peo