The 2026 Susan Hunter Scholarship
Application is Now Open!

The Susan M. Hunter Correctional Scholarship is named in honor of Susan M. Hunter, former Director of the Prisons Division at the National Institute of Corrections, as a lasting tribute to her commitment to the field of corrections. Susan passed away in 2004 from breast cancer. CLA’s Past Presidents’ Committee had been working toward a scholarship program for children of correctional staff. In the wake of her death, CLA grieved the loss of Susan, and the Committee made a logical decision to name the scholarship program after Susan, who had embodied the ideals of an educated and enlightened correctional workforce. Her life’s work continues in our memory of what she held dear, now expressed in our profession with contributions to deserving students whose parents labor in our Association's chosen field.

Eligibility Requirements for the Susan M. Hunter Correctional Scholarship

Students must be the child of a corrections employee (current full-time, retired, or deceased) within any CLA member Department of Corrections or jail/prison system.
Vendor employees, correctional employees, their siblings, spouses, and grandchildren are not eligible.
Incoming first-time freshmen, along with enrolled full-time college and graduate students, must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3. Students may be working toward a degree in any area of study.
Students must plan to be enrolled full-time in an accredited two-year or four-year college or university, or an accredited graduate program for the Fall semester of the award year (verification will be required before the award is issued).

You can view a list of scholarship FAQs here. It is highly recommended to review these before applying. The scholarship opens annually on February 1 and closes on March 31.

Any questions can be directed to Tanna Perez at [email protected].

Donations are 100% Tax Deductible

Congratulations, 2025 New Recipients!!

2025 Return Recipients

Abby Byers - Pennsylvania DOC	Addison Drahota - Nebraska DOCS	Addison Stephani - Minnesota DOC	Alex Oswald - Iowa DOC
Alexa Gray - Colorado DOC	Amanda Thorpe - Colorado DOC	Amberlynn Anderson - Utah DOC	Ayden Cuzzort - Arkansas DOC
Benjamin White - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Briana Lopez - California DCR	Brinkley Hodshon - North Carolina DOC	Brooke Taylor - Wisconsin DOC
Cameron Kasbarian - Massachusetts DOC	Caroline Smith - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Claire Koechle - Iowa DOC	Cora Remacle - Wyoming DOC
Deanna Ransom - Pennsylvania DOC	Delaney Seaton - Pennsylvania DOC	Diego Casey - New Mexico CD	Diesel Whitten - Massachusetts DOC
Doreen Ontiveros - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Elizabeth Martin - Kentucky DOC	Emily Hart - Pennsylvania DOC	Emily Tanner - Rhode Island DOC
Ethan Barnes - New York State DOCCS	Ezekiel Blount - Florida DOC	Faheed Shafau - Michigan DOC	Haley Sykes - Virginia DOC
Hannah Magdziak - Pennsylvania DOC	Iris Denner - Florida DOC	Isabella Nagy - Pennsylvania DOC	Jayden Clark - South Dakota DOC
Jaysoni Beachum - Florida DOC	Jessica Greene - Arizona DOC	Jordyn Trowt - Vermont DOC	Joshua Yon - North Dakota DOCR
Julia Hills - Minnesota DOC	Kaitlyn Peterson - Minnesota DOC	Kaley Sykes - Virginia DOC	Kamryn Nicholson - Michigan DOC
Katelyn Mesch - New York State DOCCS	Kendall Marshall - Washington DOC	Lidia Jerry - Wyoming DOC	Lily Hoban - Delaware DOC
Lorenzo Tirado-Irizarry - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Madison Varner - Virginia DOC	McKinzie Schafer - Wyoming DOC	Michael Montoya - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Michael Underwood - Idaho DOC	Morgan Fisher - Colorado DOC	Morgan Robinette - Pennsylvania DOC	Morgan Watts - South Carolina DOC
Natalie Kitts - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Nathan Ransom - Pennsylvania DOC	Nevaeh KIMMIE - Louisiana DPSC	Noah Smith - Arkansas DOC
Olivia Ruschioni - Massachusetts DOC	Owen Bales - Virginia DOC	Rachel Kinnaman - Indiana DOC	Rachel Schild (Sestak) - South Dakota DOC
Raegen Lantry - Nebraska DOCS	Ridge Kaauwai - Hawaii DPS	Rose Smith - Kentucky DOC	Rose Stilwell - North Carolina DOC
Rylie Lowden - New Jersey DOC	Sana Ahmad - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Sophia Newsome - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Sydney Potter - Oregon DOC
Tamara Tate - Arkansas DOC	Tandy Treese - Washington DOC	Taylor Messer - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Tray Goddard - Oklahoma DOC
Tyler Vellone - Rhode Island DOC Jayden McElravy - Washington DOC	Victoria Dichio - Florida DOC Jackson McKell - Louisiana DPSC	William Whitley - Federal Bureau of Prisons	Yasmine Samara - Ohio DRC