The NDSU College of Engineering held its fourth annual Scholarship and Awards Reception Sept. 10 in the NDSU Memorial Union Oċet̄i Ṡak̄owiɳ Ballroom. The event was a celebration of student scholarship recipients, scholarship donors and faculty and staff award winners.
“The support from alumni and donors shows that a degree from the NDSU College of Engineering is worth investing in,” said Gabriel Lothspeich, a senior in mechanical engineering. “The fact that so many alumni and companies are willing to keep giving to the university in the form of scholarships is inspiring. It shows us students that a degree from NDSU is valuable and well worth the effort.”
Lothspeich, who is from Wyndmere, North Dakota, said scholarships have had more than just a financial impact, they have allowed him to pursue extracurricular and professional development experiences that might have otherwise been unavailable if he had to devote more hours to a part-time job.
“We’ve made increasing scholarships, especially four-year renewable scholarships, a fundraising priority because recruiting and retaining bright, motivated, hardworking students like Gabriel is a priority,” said Michael Kessler, dean of the College of Engineering.
This year, the college awarded more than $1 million 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 Otter Tail Power Co. It has been providing funding for annual scholarships to electrical engineering students at NDSU since 2014.
“At Otter Tail Power, we feel very strongly in developing talent and being a scholarship supporter for NDSU student engineers who are homegrown in the communities we serve,” said JoAnn Thompson, vice president for asset management at Otter Tail Power Co. and a graduate of the NDSU electrical engineering program. “You have the power to be part of an innovative, technological transformation and the foundation you are gaining here at NDSU will give you the edge to succeed in whatever career path you choose.”
Scholarship applications for current and incoming College of Engineering students are accepted Dec. 1, 2021, through March 1, 2022. Applications can be completed online.
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