The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) has awarded $52,500 in scholarships to 21 students for the 2026–27 academic year through its Thomas R. and Laura Ridge Scholarship program.
Each recipient will receive a one-year, $2,500 scholarship. The program is open to qualifying employees of PFMA member companies, their children or stepchildren, and children or stepchildren of PFMA member store owners.
Recipients are selected by an independent panel based on academic achievement, character, community involvement and leadership.
“For more than 30 years, the Ridge Scholarship has helped PFMA members and their families take the next step in their education,” PFMA President and CEO Alex Baloga said. “This year’s recipients are pursuing an incredible range of fields and careers, and we’re proud to support their hard work and invest in what comes next for each of them.”
2026 Scholarship Recipients
The 2026 recipients, along with their planned schools, fields of study and sponsoring organizations, are:
- Caden Chow, Hummelstown, Pa. — Boston University, biomedical engineering. (The GIANT Company)
- Ella Campisano, Palmyra, Pa. — Mount St. Mary’s University, biochemistry and chemistry. (The GIANT Company)
- Ella Heap, York, Pa. — West Chester University, political science. (The GIANT Company)
- Cole Klein, Newville, Pa. — Penn State University, finance. (The GIANT Company)
- Shelby Zimmerman, Greencastle, Pa. — Shippensburg University, art education with K–12 certification. (The GIANT Company)
- Mia Catania, Camp Hill, Pa. — Penn State University, physics. (Karns Foods)
- Kylee Thomas, Mountville, Pa. — Messiah University, actuarial science. (Rutter’s)
- Travis Noecker, Hamburg, Pa. — Arcadia University, biology. (Rutter’s)
- Allison Brunner, Chambersburg, Pa. — Shippensburg University, psychology. (Rutter’s)
- Peter Wasef, Lancaster, Pa. — West Chester University, political science. (Rutter’s)
- Brandon Thomas, Stewartstown, Pa. — Millersville University, emergency management. (Rutter’s)
- Kaylee Venslosky, Colver, Pa. — Mount Aloysius College, nursing. (Sheetz)
- Mattie Burket, East Freedom, Pa. — Mount Aloysius College, ultrasonography. (Sheetz)
- Venkat Subramanian, Bridgewater, N.J. — Princeton University, computer science. (David and Kathy McCorkle)
- Tayla Dusharm, Millerstown, Pa. — Shippensburg University, social work. (PFMA)
- Jordan Nell, Shippensburg, Pa. — Liberty University, business with a concentration in project management. (PFMA)
- Lydia DeFacis, Mifflinburg, Pa. — Elizabethtown College, occupational therapy. (PFMA)
- Maya Bava, Conshohocken, Pa. — University of Pittsburgh, molecular biology. (PFMA)
- Lydia Herr, Lancaster, Pa. — Messiah University, psychology. (PFMA)
- Margaret Gotfredson, Abingdon, Md. — Brigham Young University, communication disorders. (PFMA)
- Spencer Faircloth, Martinsburg, W.Va. — Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, political science. (PFMA)
Scholarship Program Dates to 1995
PFMA established the scholarship program in 1995. It is named for Thomas R. and Laura Ridge, the parents of former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge.
Thomas Ridge spent 25 years working in Pennsylvania’s food industry, while Laura Ridge was an advocate for the education of their three children, Tom, David and Vikki.
PFMA said it has awarded more than $1.3 million through the program since its creation.