The NDSU College of Engineering held its second annual Scholarship and Awards Reception Sept. 6 in the NDSU Memorial Union Great Plains room. The event was a celebration of student scholarship recipients, scholarship donors and faculty and staff award winners.
“Receiving scholarships during my time at NDSU has allowed me to have the full college experience,” said Megan Thorson, a senior in industrial engineering and management. “The tools we learn outside the classroom, the ones we are able to experience because of the scholarships donors provide, set us up to be successful in all aspects of life for years to come.”
Thorson, who is from Fargo, said scholarships have allowed her to work less and focus more on her classes, mental health and organizations she’s passionate about like Engineering Ambassadors and her sorority.
“Recruiting and retaining bright, motivated, hardworking students like Megan is a priority for us,” said Michael Kessler, dean of the College of Engineering. “That’s why we’ve made increasing scholarships, especially four-year renewable scholarships, a top fundraising goal.”
This year, the college awarded more than $350,000 in scholarships. The scholarship winners were selected by the college or department scholarship committees based on criteria established by donors for each scholarship.
One of those donors is Jeff Volk, the CEO of Moore Engineering. Volk is a graduate of the NDSU civil engineering program and encourages students and young alumni to make philanthropy a priority.
“Get in the habit early of giving back to NDSU for helping you get where you are. It doesn’t have to be much. Write a check for a small amount. Then, next year challenge yourself to make it bigger. Keep doing that every year until you’re able to make a really impactful gift,” Volk said.
He and his wife Jeanie, who graduated from the NDSU nursing program, give back to NDSU in numerous ways. Through their personal philanthropy, they have established scholarship endowments in civil engineering and nursing. Additionally, under Volk’s leadership, Moore Engineering established an endowment that provides two impactful scholarship awards for civil engineering students annually.
Scholarship applications for current and incoming College of Engineering students are accepted Dec. 1, 2019, through March 1, 2020. Applications can be completed online.
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