SCSU student receives Zimmerman scholarship

A South Carolina State University biology major has been selected as the 2021-2022 recipient of the Geraldyne Zimmerman Scholarship, which was named in honor of the late civic leader.

The Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina selected I’ayana Sanders of Orangeburg as this year’s winner of the $2,000 scholarship. She said she is grateful for the award.

“I thank the Southeastern South Carolina Girl Scouts. This scholarship has greatly helped me not only cover tuition, but also cover my books,” Sanders said.

The support and encouragement she has received from GSESC has been great. She is now working to become a Girl Scout troop leader.

“They’ve just been very supportive and been in communication with me,” Sanders said.

Zimmerman, known affectionately as “Mrs. Z,” died April 10, 2011, at the age of 100. Born in 1911, she was one year older than the Girl Scouts.

She had been active with the Girl Scouts since 1951 and started the first Girl Scout troop for African-American girls in Orangeburg.

Zimmerman went on to create the Helen Sheffield Girls’ Club for girls in grades 9-12 in 1963.

Zimmerman served not only as a Girl Scout troop leader, but as a board member, association president, troop consultant and service unit chairperson.

Pat Baxley, GSESC’s grants and community resources director, said the Geraldyne Zimmerman Scholarship has continued since it was developed in 2014. A gala had been held in Orangeburg to support the scholarship, but hasn’t been held in the past two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ve continued to appeal for donations and sponsorships via social media and direct mail. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. We are definitely planning to have the event in person next year,” she said.

Baxley continued, “The Claflin University choir usually comes and sings, and the students from S.C. State come and are the wait staff. So it’s usually a very nice event. We still do tributes to Geraldyne Zimmerman. We usually have a guest speaker that was in some form or fashion associated with her. That’s been very impactful.”

She said the GSESC continues to be active in the local community.

“We’re still very engaged in the community. Every year the community in Orangeburg has been so gracious and generous in supporting this event, the scholarship and Girl Scout programs in Orangeburg. The response we get from the community always astounds me. They are very generous group of people as a whole,” Baxley said.

Frances Morant is a troop leader in Service Unit 643, which serves Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. She leads local Girl Scout Troop 235 of Orangeburg.

Morant said Zimmerman was a big proponent of youth development and girl scouting and “exposing the girls to different options and channels in their lives.”

She said Mrs. Z. would be happy that the Girl Scouts are still thriving and developing youth.

“I think she would be overjoyed, I really do,” Morant said.

While an in-person scholarship gala is not being held this year, she and other troop leaders are working to get back to their own in-person meetings with their troop members.

“We are looking at some activities for the girls, but we haven’t finalized any plans yet,” she said.

Individuals who wish to support the Geraldyne Zimmerman Scholarship and students like Sanders can donate at the following "Mrs. Z Lives On" link: https://bit.ly/mrszliveson.