Simone Peeler Ragland

Dr. Lorraine Peeler ’88 Diversity Awareness Scholarship

Simone Peeler Ragland established this scholarship in loving memory of her aunt and spiritual mother Lorraine E. Peeler, Ph.D., who passed away in 2014. The scholarship is available to female students of Empire State College, aged 32 and above. Dr. Peeler was not only a faculty member of the Niagara Frontier Center; she was also a proud alumna. She was committed to the school and its mission – dedicated to the adult learner seeking post-secondary education to learn about themselves and their capabilities. It was her gift to encourage, motivate and empower those she encountered. Dr. Peeler was in her thirties when she enrolled at Empire State College’s Niagara Frontier Center to complete her Bachelor’s degree, and her experience at the college reignited her love for learning. Earning her degree was the impetus she needed as an adult learner to pursue her graduate studies. She was the first Ph.D. in her family, which remains proud of all of the scholarly accomplishments she made. Simone honors Lorraine and her legacy with this scholarship in her name.