The Monticola Club, a cornerstone of Susanville’s community service since 1912, is once again investing in the future of local youth. Scholarship Chair Nancy Lounsbury has announced that the organization is currently accepting applications for several scholarships aimed at 2025 graduates of Lassen High School and current Lassen Community College students.
With a legacy of supporting education that spans over sixty years, the club continues its tradition of honoring its founders and members through financial awards for higher education.
Scholarships for High School Graduates
For 2025 Lassen High School graduates, the club is offering three distinct $500 awards. The Spencer Memorial Scholarship, first awarded in 1959, honors the legacy of Monticola’s founder, Lucy Philenda Spencer, and her daughters, Iva Raker and Judge Gladys Burroughs. Similarly, the Monticola Memorial Scholarship has been awarded since 1974 in memory of all the club’s deceased members.
To qualify for either of these $500 scholarships, applicants must have attended local high schools for at least three years and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The selection committee is specifically looking for students who plan to enroll in an accredited two or four-year college and who demonstrate strong academic success, leadership ability, and a commitment to community service.
Students pursuing a different path may apply for the $500 Vocational Scholarship, which is designed for a local graduate planning to attend an accredited vocational school or college. Applicants for this award must have maintained a GPA of 2.0 or better over the last three years.
The committee seeks candidates who show a clear aptitude for a vocational career alongside traits of dependability, initiative, and the ability to work well with others.
How to Apply: Full details and application materials for these three scholarships are available at the Lassen High School Counseling Office.
Opportunities for Lassen Community College Students
For those continuing their journey from junior college to a university, the club offers the Etta Tarry Memorial Scholarship. This $1,000 award is named in honor of club member Etta Tarry, who famously loaned the organization $10,000 to help finance the construction of the clubhouse on South Lassen Street.
This scholarship is available to a Lassen Community College student with a minimum 3.0 GPA who is moving on to an accredited four-year college or university. As with the high school awards, the selection committee is focused on identifying students who exhibit academic excellence, leadership skills, and a history of community service.
How to Apply: Full details for this specific scholarship are available at the Lassen College Financial Aid Office.
Important Deadlines
The deadline for all scholarship applications to be submitted is March 31st, 2026.
“Each year we are pleasantly impressed with the incredibly talented and accomplished students who apply for these scholarships,” says Scholarship Chair Nancy Lounsbury. “It is extremely difficult to choose from among them.”
For over a century, the women of the Monticola Club have worked to better Susanville, and these annual scholarships remain a vital part of that mission, helping the next generation of Lassen County leaders reach their goals.
