News Releases

Community foundation awards over $95,000 in scholarships

SALINA, Kan.— The Greater Salina Community Foundation has awarded over $95,000 in scholarships to area students for the upcoming academic year. This includes 16 scholarships that are being renewed for recipients from previous years.

  • The Alice A. Riggs Ell-Saline K-State Scholarship is for graduates of Ell-Saline High School who will attend Kansas State University in Manhattan. Sadie Bradley, Salina, received a $1,431 scholarship.
  • The Alma Olson and Michael T. Olson Scholarship is for students of North Central Kansas Technical College pursuing a degree in a building trade. Benjamin Housley, Gorham, received an $800 scholarship.
  • The Betts Family Scholarship is for students graduating from Decatur Community High School in Oberlin, Kansas. Jacquelyn Marshall, Oberlin, received a $2,500 scholarship.
  • The Booker T. Washington Scholarship is for African American graduates of a Saline County high school. Starlet Parham, Salina, received a $600 scholarship. Mataya Copes and Herman Hill IV, Salina, each received a $600 renewed scholarship.
  • The Brian C. Garnett Memorial Scholarship is for well-rounded graduates of Salina Central High School. Jilian DeVoe, Rashada Smith, and Mackenzie Nutter, all of Salina, each received a $1,000 scholarship.
  • The Delbert Townsend Scholarship is for graduating seniors from Decatur Community High School in Oberlin, Kansas. Breckyn Jensen, Brynna Addleman-Gillund, and Jacquelyn Marshall, all of Oberlin, each received a $2,500 scholarship. Sarah Abernathy, Oberlin, KeLynn Jacobs, Dresden, and Mackenzie Urban, Oberlin, each received a renewed scholarship of $2,000.
  • The David A. and M. Marguerite Parker Scholarship is for graduates of Tescott High School who are involved in the community. Raven Peterson, Beverly, received a $1,000 scholarship.
  • The David E. Freeland Accounting and Business Administration Scholarship is for graduates of a Saline County High School attending Kansas State University with an intended major within the College of Business Administration. Logan Losey, Salina, received a $2,000 scholarship.
  • The Decatur Community Scholarship is for graduating seniors from Decatur Community High School in Oberlin, Kansas. Reece Grafel and Jacquelyn Marshall, both of Oberlin, each received a $700 scholarship.
  • The Erik Erickson Memorial Scholarship is for graduating seniors from Decatur Community High School, Oberlin, KS. Reece Grafel, Oberlin, received a $1,000 scholarship.
  • The First Bank Kansas Scholarship is for current Kansas Wesleyan University students, with preference to business majors. Trevor Watson, Salina, received a $779 scholarship.
  • The Florence Evelyn Westhoff Scholarship is for graduates of a Salina high school with connections to University United Methodist Church in Salina, Kansas, or Kansas Wesleyan University students. Trevor Watson, Salina, received a $750 scholarship.
  • The Frances E. Curtis NAACP Scholarship is for graduating seniors or a graduate from a high school located in Dickinson, Ottawa or Salina Counties, with ties to NAACP-Salina. Micah Moore, Salina, received a $1,200 scholarship.
  • The Gayle and Evelyn Richmond Scholarship is for graduates of Plainville, Stockton, Natoma or Palco High Schools. Benjamin Hansen and Abby Reif, both of Plainville, each received a $1,500 scholarship. Preston Ostmeyer, Plainville, Carley Chriser, Natoma, Tatum Hamilton, Stockton, and Caleigh Iwanski, Stockton, each received a renewed $1,500 scholarship.
  • The Glenn L. and Edna M. Mott Memorial Scholarship is for graduating seniors from Decatur Community High School in Oberlin, Kansas. Breckin Sauvage, Oberlin, received a $1,000 scholarship.
  • The Hale Family Sunflower Promise Scholarship is for graduating community college students who plan to attend a four-year, post-secondary institution in Kansas. Drew Burgoon, Salina, received a $10,000 scholarship. Macy Seba, Wichita, and Jessica Morel, Linsborg, each received a $6,500 scholarship.
  • The Jeanne and George Frisbie Scholarship is for graduates of Southeast of Saline High School. Matthew Rodriguez, Ellsworth, received a $1,000 scholarship. Hunter Whittecar, Salina, and Makenna Bartholomew, Gypsum, each received a renewed scholarship of $1,000.
  • The Jeanne B. Marts Scholarship is for graduates of a Saline County high school who plan to major in education. Alaina Yianakopulos, Gypsum, and Matthew Rodriguez, Ellsworth, each received a $3,000 scholarship, and Laura Miller, Salina, received a $1,000 scholarship.
  • The John Forest & Alfra J. Schmidt Ritter Humanitarian Award for graduates of Sacred Heart Jr-Sr High School pursuing any post-secondary education.  Alyssa Mikkelson, Salina, received a $515 scholarship.
  • The Jody Fredrickson Nursing and Health Scholarship is for graduates of a high school within the Dane G. Hansen Foundation service area who are pursuing a major in nursing or another health-related field, with a preference to students from Decatur Community High School in Oberlin, Kansas.
  • The Kansas Federation of Republican Women Scholarship is for any Kansas registered Republican female college student entering at least her junior year or that is attending graduate school at a Kansas college or university with a declared major of Political Science, History, Public Administration, Healthcare, Law or Education. Abigail Hodges, Bennington, received a $1,000 scholarship.
  • Karsyn Schlesener, Salina, and Makenzie Travis, Beloit, each received a $500 scholarship.
  • The Kurt Budke Scholarship is for college sophomores or above who attend Louisiana Tech University, Oklahoma State University, Washburn University or Wichita State University. Marco Villela, Johnson, Elizabeth Duvall, Concordia, and Makenna Roths, Salina, each received a $1,000 scholarship.
  • The Linda K. Freeland Early Childhood Education Scholarship is for graduates of a Saline County high school planning to major in early childhood education. Ellie Grauerholz and Madisyn Ehrlich, both of Salina, each received a $1,000 scholarship.
  • The Marcella Dowling Oakes Art Scholarship is for graduates of a Saline County high school with an intended major in an art field including visual arts, fine arts education, digital/graphic arts, architecture, or design. Rachel Sims, Salina, received a $2,000 scholarship.
  • The Mary Olson & Viola Olson Gustafson Scholarship for students attending Cloud County Community College to pursue a degree in nursing or in a related medical field. Taley Murdock, Concordia, received an $800 scholarship.
  • The Orpha J. & Ernest Milbradt Scholarship is for students planning to attend Kansas State University or the University of Kansas. Benjamin Hansen, Plainville, and Shannon Anderson, Abilene, both received a $500 scholarship. Grant Heintz, Abilene, Makenzie Boley, Salina, Brandalyn Thyfault, Dorrance, and Jenna McCartney, Salina, all received a renewed scholarship of $500.
  • The Richard and Lou Ann Bergen Scholarship in the Creative Arts is for graduates of a Saline County High School with an interest in creative arts attending either Bethany College, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas State University, Kansas Wesleyan University, University of Kansas or Wichita State University. Mia Dennet, Salina, received a $1,000 scholarship. Autumn Dunshie, Salina, received a renewed scholarship of $1,000.
  • The Tetlow-Downs Community Scholarship is for graduates of Lakeside High School pursuing a STEM major. Courtney Baetz, Downs, received a $1,500 scholarship.
  • The Wally Beets-John Marino Scholarship is for students who have been employed by the Salina Country Club. Karter Fuller, Salina, received an $1,800 scholarship, and Nathan Elmore, Salina, received a $900 scholarship.

Overall, the foundation manages 68 scholarship funds, which were established by donors to support students pursuing higher education. More information about the scholarship program can be found at www.gscf.org/scholarships.