The Virginia Governmental Employees Association recently named Emily Bazemore of Suffolk as one of the recipients of its four annual $2,500 scholarships the group presents to its members and their families. The VGEA is an advocacy association for Virginia state employees and retirees and awards $10,000 in scholarships each fall.

Bazemore, 18, graduated in 2014 from Nansemond River High School and will attend Virginia Tech, where she will major in urban affairs and planning in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Her goal is to earn a dual degree in planning and landscape architecture.

Bazemore’s extracurricular activities included Academic Team, Virginia Girl’s State, serving as the Suffolk Peanut Fest Queen and volunteering at Sentara Obici Hospital. VGEA Member Thomas Bazemore is Emily’s father and works for VDOT. To be eligible for the scholarships, the winner must be a VGEA member, spouse, child or grandchild of a member.

The Virginia Governmental Employees Association is a voluntary, non-partisan organization of state employees and retirees that advocates on matters of pay, health care, workplace protections and retirement. VGEA advocates on these issues with members of the Virginia General Assembly, the Executive Branch, the Department of Human Resource Management and the Virginia Retirement System Board of Trustees.