PFMA awards Ridge Scholarships to 21 students

The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) is pleased to announce the 21 recipients of the 2025 Thomas R. and Laura Ridge Scholarship. Each student will receive a one-year, $2,500 scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year.

Recipients are chosen by a panel of judges who review each applicant’s academic record, school, and community involvement, recommendations, and a submitted essay. Current employees, their children, and the children of company owners who are PFMA members are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

Named for the parents of former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, the Ridge Scholarship honors Thomas R. Ridge, a member of the food industry for 25 years, and his wife Laura, a great advocate of education for Tom Ridge, his brother David and sister Vikki. PFMA has awarded over $1.3 million to nearly 654 students since introducing the scholarship in 1995. Scholarship funds come from PFMA’s Education Trust and sponsoring PFMA members The GIANT Company, Karns Foods, Rutter’s, and Sheetz.

Scholarship recipients are:

• • Shelby Zimmerman, of Greencastle, Pa., plans to attend Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania to major in Art Education. (The Giant Company)
  • Devon Levin, of Philadelphia, Pa., plans to attend West Chester University to major in Biochemistry & Chemistry and minor in Biology. (The Giant Company)
  • Ryan Mozi, of Harleysville, Pa., plans to attend DeSales University to major in Accounting & History. (The Giant Company)
  • Austin Burk, of Altoona, Pa., plans to attend Pennsylvania State University Altoona to major in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations. (The Giant Company)
  • Liam McKenzie, of Keyser, Wv., plans to attend Allegany College of Maryland to major in Physical Therapy. (The Giant Company)
  • Emily Sheriff, of Landisburg, Pa., plans to attend Coastal Carolina University to major in Marine Science. (Karns Food)
  • Bryce Smiley, of Chambersburg, Pa., plans to attend Gannon University to major in Software Engineering and minor in Innovation and Creativity. (Rutter’s)
  • Alexia Brubaker, of Manchester, Pa., plans to attend York College of Pennsylvania to major in Forensic Chemistry. (Rutter’s)
  • Sandy Zheng, of Spring Grove, Pa., plans to attend West Chester University to major in Biochemistry & Chemistry and minor in Biology. (Rutter’s)
  • Ryan Shonk, of Liverpool, Pa., plans to attend Penn State Harrisburg to major in Structural Design & Construction Engineering. (Rutter’s)
  • Maura Bradney, of Duncannon, Pa., plans to attend Kent State University to major in Public Health. (Rutter’s)
  • Helayna Baer, of Cheswick, Pa., plans to attend the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering to major in Chemical Engineering and French Language. (Sheetz)
  • Nicholas Santucci, of Pittsburgh, Pa., plans to attend the University of Pittsburgh to major in Industrial Engineering and American History. (Sheetz)
  • Jeremiah Ondrasik, of Bellefonte, Pa., plans to attend the Pennsylvania State University to major in Computer Science & Electrical Engineering. (PFMA)
  • Zachary Letso, of Patton, Pa., plans to attend the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine to major in Dentistry. (PFMA)
  • Grace Preston, of Brockway, Pa., plans to attend the Pennsylvania Western University to major in Graphic Design & Digital Media Technology. (PFMA)
  • Jared Rivera, of Lancaster, Pa., plans to attend Franklin & Marshall College to major in Computer Science. (PFMA)
  • Aubryana Zettlemoyer, of Shamokin Dam, Pa., plans to attend Lebanon Valley College to major in ACS Chemistry and minor in Marketing. (PFMA)
  • Trace Cassidy, of West Milton, Pa., plans to attend Drexel University to major in Music Industry and minor in Business Administration. (PFMA)
  • Logan Moiles, of Martinsburg, Wv., plans to attend Shepherd University to major in Finance + Risk Management/Insurance. (PFMA/David & Kathryn McCorkle)
  • Abigail Demuth, of Hagerstown, Md., plans to attend Shepherd University to major in Elementary Education. (PFMA)