MAS Awards $248,650 in Scholarships to 65 Graduating Seniors

GLENWOOD, MN — Minnewaska Area Schools celebrated the achievements of 65 graduating seniors at the annual Scholarship Program on May 18, 2025. These students received scholarships that will provide significant financial support as they pursue their educational goals beyond high school.

“Our scholarship program represents the community’s investment in our students’ futures,” said Chip Rankin, Superintendent of Minnewaska Area Schools.

Celebrating Community Support Through Scholarships

This year’s program showcased the extraordinary generosity of our community, with awards ranging from $200 to $25,000, helping students pursue diverse educational paths. While some of our largest awards included.

Luke Hoffmann: $25,000 Scholarship Recipient will be attending Minnesota West Community & Technical College to study in the Electrician program. Scholarship provided by Ellsworth and Pearl Fadness Memorial in coordination with the Minnewaska Laker Foundation.

Jacob Mrnak: $25,000 Scholarship Recipient will be attending North Dakota State College of Science to study in the Precision Ag Tech program. Scholarship provided by Ellsworth and Pearl Fadness Memorial in coordination with the Minnewaska Laker Foundation.

Kendra Wilmes: $20,000 Scholarship Recipient will be attending Southwest Minnesota State University to study Social Work. Scholarship provided by Harlan W. Long Memorial.

Additionally, five graduates, Chase Smith, Zachary Palmer, Riley Thorfinnson, Autumm Hess, and Addyson Kath, each received $10,000 scholarships. Scholarship’s provided by the Bassett Family.

The impact of our scholarship program extends far beyond these awards. Dozens of local businesses, community organizations, families, and individuals contributed scholarships of various amounts, collectively demonstrating our community’s commitment to removing financial barriers to higher education.

Scholarship Application Process

To apply for Dollars for Scholars scholarships, students must complete an online profile that serves as their application. This profile includes academic achievements, extracurricular activities, employment history, volunteer work, awards, college plans, and letters of recommendation.

Each scholarship has specific criteria determined by donors, with some requiring additional essays or answers to targeted questions. This process ensures scholarships are matched to students who best fit the established criteria and will benefit most from the financial support.

Independent scholarships follow separate application processes as determined by individual donors.

A Community Tradition

The Minnewaska Area Schools Scholarship Program, operating through Minnewaska Dollars for Scholars since 1992, has a rich history of supporting graduates as they transition to higher education.

The program now offers scholarships through two pathways: 25 Independent scholarships, where donors set criteria, select recipients, and manage payments directly; and 45 Dollars for Scholars scholarships, where donors establish criteria but the committee selects recipients. Many colleges match Dollars for Scholars awards, creating additional value for recipients.

The May 18 ceremony brought together students, families, educators, and community members to celebrate these accomplishments and the beginning of new educational journeys.

See below for a full list of the scholarship recipients.

DFS Phone-a-thon Scholarships

$750 – Jermy Camp
$750 – Leandra Graham
$750 – Tabitha Durand
$750 – Luke Hoffmann
$750 – Ian Mills
$750 – Avarie Uhde
$750 – Drew Winter
$750 – Morgan Meyer
$750 – Isabelle Porter
$750 – Kyler Anderson
$750 – Daniel Cochran
$750 – Autumm Hess
$750 – Carter Meyer
$750 – Lauren Stryhn
$750 – McKenna Uhde
$750 – Callie Trousil
$750 – Jaden Ebacher
$500 – Addyson Kath
$500 – Zachary Palmer
$500 – Lucas Tauber
$500 – Kendra Wilmes
$500 – Ty Koubsky
$500 – Chase Smith
$500 – Kathryn Vold

Dollars for Scholars Recipients

Albert Vigants
$500 – Caden Larson

Amy Johnson Nursing
$500 – Dacia Fleury

Bassett Family
$10,000 – Chase Smith
$10,000 – Autumm Hess
$10,000 – Zachary Palmer
$10,000 – Riley Thorfinnson
$10,000 – Addyson Kath

Black Oak Wind
$500 – Oliver Rieland
$500 – Brooklynn Armstrong
$500 – Brady McCrory
$500 – Dylan VanZee
$500 – Lexi Bosek

Brang Foundation – Academic
$1,000 – Drew Winter

Brang Foundation – Ag
$1,000 – Mason Rohloff

Brang Foundation – Creative Writing
$1,000 – Rhys Randleman

Brang Foundation – Healthcare
$1,000 – Molly Douvier

CherRon
$4,000 – Barry Li
$4,000 – Carter Meyer

City of Long Beach
$400 – Ian Mills
$400 – Noah Jensen
$400 – Ty Koubsky
$400 – Kaiden Harvey
$400 – Arivia DeBoer

Cora Ingebretson Memorial
$3,000 – Tabitha Durand

Doc Zempel Memorial
$250 – Mason Rohloff

Ekstrand Family
$1,500 – Kathryn Vold
$1,500 – Connor Frey

Ellsworth & Marilyn Erickson – Academic
$1,000 – Melena Longtin

Ellsworth & Marilyn Erickson – FFA
$1,000 – Ellie Douvier

Ellsworth & Marilyn Erickson – Music
$1,000 – Daniel Cochran

Ellsworth & Pearl Fadness
$25,000 – Luke Hoffmann
$25,000 Jacob Mrnak

FAST Global Solutions
$1,000 – Kaiden Harvey
$1,000 – Caden Larson

Glen & Oscar Vantries
$500 – Mara Olson
$500 – Tenzin Dahl

Glenwood American Legion
$500 – Sydney Perry
$500 – Evan Friese

Glenwood Lions Club
$500 – Katie Sorenson
$500 – Matthew Pitzen

Glenwood Rotary Club
$1,000 – Jenna Detko
$1,000 – Lucas Tauber

Greater Alex Assoc of Realtors
$1,750 – Lauren Stryhn

Harlan W. Long Memorial
$20,000 – Kendra Wilmes

Helen Bollum Memorial
$1,000 – McKenna Uhde

Kipp Brown
$200 – Richard Trombello

Lakes Area Prof Women
$500 – Megan Thorfinnson

Lowry Lions
$750 – Drew Winter
$750 – Ella Lewison

Massman Companies
$2,000 – Levi Schultz
$2,000 – Owen Meulebroeck

Matt C. Chan Memorial
$500 – Payton Andreas

Minnewaska Laker Foundation
$500 – Avarie Uhde
$500 – Noah Jensen

Minnewaska Para Union
$500 – Alannah Christensen
$500 – Richard Trombello

Minnewaska PTO
$250 – Kendra Wilmes
$250 – Connor Frey

Minnewaska VFW
$250 – Sydney Dahl
$250 – Levi Johnson

Patrick Scholarship
$1,000 – Josie Kopp

Red Cross
$250 – Tabitha Durand
$250 – Caden Larson
$250 – Autumm Hess
$250 – Chase Smith
$250 – Lauren Stryhn
$250 – Kendra Wilmes
$250 – Jenna Detko
$250 – Aubrey Kindel
$250 – Leandra Graham
$250 – Kaiden Harvey
$250 – Addyson Kath
$250 – Zachary Palmer
$250 – Carter Meyer
$250 – Kathryn Vold

Robert and Eleanor Kirkwold Memoral
$3,500 – Rebecca Femrite

Starbuck Telephone
$1,000 – Tenzin Dahl

Willa Hogan
$1,000 McKenna Uhde

Women in Business
$2,500 – Arivia DeBoer