Annexstad Foundation Program Administrator Visits Scholars

Elin Wahman (front row, right), program administrator for the Annexstad Family Foundation, visited with UM Annexstad Scholars this fall to meet the freshmen scholars and hear from the upperclassmen about their progress, achievements and challenges. Pictured are (front row, left to right) Annexstad Scholar Cisco Santos of Southaven, Mississippi; Katie Morrison, UM development officer; Gloma Milner of Boaz, Alabama; and Wahman; (second row, left to right) John Samonds, associate dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College; Laurel Lee of Madison, Mississippi; and Tan Le of Gulfport, Mississippi; (back row, left to right) Rotavious Taper of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and David Pfaehler of Independence, Kentucky.

By Bill Dabney

Al and Cathy Annexstad, founders of the Annexstad Family Foundation, have long held an impassioned belief that exceptionally bright young people who have little or no means to go to college, and who have endured extraordinary hardship in their young lives, have great potential to one day become leaders in their chosen fields.

Students of high moral character, grit and intelligence are chosen to receive renewable scholarships with an objective of earning an undergraduate degree in four years. Leaders for Tomorrow scholars earn their undergraduate degrees as free from debt as possible.

Losing parents to untimely deaths in their youth, both Annexstads experienced the power of mentoring as their communities and families rallied around them in their formative years. The Annexstads’ deep, personal appreciation of how caring adults and an opportunity for higher education can influence a young person who has been impacted by hardship has led to over 750 scholarships being awarded across the nation since 2000.

“The University of Mississippi’s rich academic excellence and history of producing leaders in many fields is not only important for the state of Mississippi, but will ultimately produce future leaders for America,” Annexstad said. “Higher education is truly a great equalizer in life. It allows us as a nation to tap into a vast resource of desperately needed human capital. Equipping these talented scholars with world-class educations represents a significant investment in our nation’s future as they go on to make meaningful contributions to society.”

To date, the Annexstad Family Foundation has awarded 669 scholarships to students at 65 colleges and universities across the country, enabling 245 scholars to graduate. Additionally, 92 percent of Annexstad scholars graduate in four years.

University of Mississippi Foundation President Wendell Weakley said the Annexstads decided to award scholarships to UM students after accompanying their granddaughter on a campus visit.

“About a week after their visit, we got a call from the Annexstad Foundation saying they were interested in establishing a scholarship here,” Weakley said. “Al is truly the ideal philanthropist. He loves to give back when he knows it will make a difference.”

“Unfortunately, in America today far too many kids will not reach their God-given potential as contributing members of our society,” adds Tom Annexstad, Vice President and Director of Development. “While this is costly to them personally, it is likewise detrimental to our nation. The Annexstad Family Foundation is deeply committed to the notion that out of the ranks of exceptionally bright young people who have overcome immense hardship in life can emerge future leaders of America. Those young leaders begin to fully develop when they are given the opportunity for higher education.”

Indeed, the Annexstad Family Foundation is well on its way toward achieving Al and Cathy Annexstad’s goal of sending 1,000 young people to college. Most notably, the Annexstad Family Foundation proudly points to a nearly 90 percent graduation rate among scholarship recipients, an extraordinary achievement considering that the majority of Annexstad Scholars are first-generation college students.

Today, Annexstad graduates are successfully pursuing careers in medicine, business, science, engineering, law and other critical fields.

To view the original article, visit The University of Mississippi Foundation website

On Penn’s campus, Kayvon is already well-known. A musician and entrepreneur, Kayvon is one of the stars of the This is Our Penn video and has thrilled Penn crowds for nearly four years with his performances. But on the evening of the Scholarship Celebration, attendees got the chance to know Kayvon a little bit better.

For years before coming to Penn, Kayvon had a dream of coming to the University. And not only for the chance to study among some of the most talented students and professors in the world, but to prove that Penn truly is a place where students from a diverse set of backgrounds can grow and thrive.

“Our backgrounds don’t have to dictate where we end up, but instead our perspectives make us uniquely positioned to add incredible value. And I knew that Penn had all the resources to allow its student to follow their dreams, and it provided the support necessary for kids who wouldn’t have been able to afford it otherwise, thanks to the many donors in the room today.”

Kayvon has taken a journey from Baltimore, Maryland to the Milton Hershey School and then to Penn. Once at Penn, there was no stopping him.

Kayvon has had the opportunity to learn from leaders in both the business world and the music industry. He’s performed on campus and across the country. Kayvon has interned at a media & entertainment company and a trust fund and he’s done consulting. And he has somehow even found time to give back to the community by volunteering through the Financial Literacy Community Project.

The sky is the limit for Kayvon, and his first stop after graduation will be Silicon Valley where he will be working at Facebook.

Kayvon concluded by talking about the power of investment. “But one very simple thing I have learned during my time at Wharton is the true definition of an investment. The donors and the university are making an investment in us, and we’re using that investment to create more value for ourselves, the university, and the surrounding community in return. We’ve turned our adversities into advantages.”

View original article at the University of Pennsylvania website

Penn’s scholarship celebrations provide an opportunity for Penn’s generous donors to undergraduate scholarships to meet and build connections with the extraordinary students that their philanthropy supports. Held each fall on the Penn campus and each spring in New York City, these events are headlined by President Amy Gutmann, George Weiss, W’65, HON’14, Trustee Emeritus and founding member of the Men and Women of Pennsylvania, and features two of Penn’s remarkable scholarship recipients who share their personal stories.

Fall 2017 Scholarship Celebration

Kayvon, W’18, Elijah, W’21, James, C’19, Michael, C’19, Brandon, C’18, Sylvia, C’20, Elin Wahman, and Yareqzy, C’20

Every November, our Undergraduate Named Scholarship community comes together on Penn’s campus for the Fall Scholarship Celebration. Nearly 600 alumni, students, friends, University leadership, and parents experienced together an inspiring evening on November 28 that celebrated the generosity of Penn’s scholarship supporters, and the extraordinary accomplishments of students who can study, grow, and thrive at Penn because of the power of financial aid.

Scholarship donors and students met with one another – some for the very first time and others enjoying the evening together after years of knowing one another – and sharing together the unique bond of a Penn scholarship. For both the donors and the students, undergraduate financial aid and their love for Penn has impacted their lives in a deep and meaningful way.

Penn’s John R. Rockwell Gymnasium felt electric as seniors Elizabeth, C’18, and Kayvon, W’18 (Leaders for Tomorrow Scholar) shared their powerful personal stories. At certain points in both of their lives it seemed that college might be out of their reach, but their grit and brilliance brought them to Penn and financial aid has helped them to shine here and take advantage of all that the University has to offer them.

The Fall Scholarship Celebration was hosted by President Amy Gutmann who also provided remarks during the evening, and used the occasion to announce a new Presidential Challenge Match for undergraduate financial aid.

The fall is always such a fitting time to come together on campus to celebrate the University of Pennsylvania and the alumni, friends, and students who make it so strong. As the largest university in the U.S. with a grant-based financial aid program, this is only made possible because of the generosity of scholarship donors and their shared commitment with Penn to educational accessibility.

View the original article on the University of Pennsylvania website

When Xavier Smith learned he was Tigertown bound in 2016, he had dual feelings of joy and apprehension. How would the cost of his college education be covered?

When he learned he would be a recipient of the Annexstad Family Foundation’s Leaders for Tomorrow scholarship, Smith was both surprised and overjoyed. “I called my entire family,” Smith said, “and they got excited, too.”

His freshman year was one filled with Clemson moments, beginning the very first day. “My roommate is one of my friends from high school, and we spent the day walking around campus meeting new people. Without the Annexstad Family Foundation Scholarship, I wouldn’t be here right now having these moments,” he said.

In addition to campus activities, the scholarship is guiding the biochemistry major along the path to achieving his dreams of going into the medical field. Smith is currently considering both neurology and pharmacy and is thankful for the opportunity to do so.

Like Al and Cathy Annexstad, Smith isn’t letting his past hardships stop him from achieving his goals, and it’s important that those who face similar situations do the same.

“We are delighted that Clemson has chosen to partner with us,” noted co-founder Al Annexstad. “Young people like Xavier represent a huge reservoir of future leaders for the country. We wish him well.”

Full story can be found on Clemson World Magazine

Winona State Univeristy (WSU) students are well known to be bright, hardworking, and dedicated to their education. While each one comes from a different background with a different story to tell, there are some who have faced obstacles harder than most. There are some who may have once thought achieving a college degree seemed unattainable given their life circumstances. However, when others step up and help them achieve success, it not only changes their lives but also instills in them the desire to do the same for others.

WSU student Jessica Harvey Rigby experienced a tumultuous childhood. Her mother, a drug addict, committed suicide when Jessica was just eight years old. When she was 14, her half-sister passed away from leukemia. Her father, an abusive alcoholic suffering from PTSD, also died of leukemia a couple years later. While she spent some time living with relatives, she also spent a period of time living in shelters and foster care. “The experiences in my life could have broken me down irrevocably,” Jessica says. “Instead, I have chosen to let them make me courageous and determined to succeed.” She has since discovered a passion in caring for others, and is working towards achieving her bachelor’s degree in nursing with a minor in child advocacy, with hopes of being able to work with children in some way.

Crystal Becker also had parents who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, both spending time in prison. Her mother passed away in 2008, and she no longer has contact with her father. While she now has a steady family life with her stepmother, she was unable to afford college on her own. So when she learned she was chosen as the recipient of a scholarship at Winona State that would allow her to graduate debt-free, she says, “I cried, immediately feeling a huge amount of stress lifting off my shoulders.” During her difficult childhood, school was Crystal’s safe haven, her fifth-grade teacher – her rock. As a result, her dream is to become a teacher and inspire children the same way her teacher inspired her.

Zaria Smith never saw herself attending college. Although she ultimately changed her mind in order to set an example for her 13 brothers and sisters, she found herself independent after graduating high school, and attending college seemed impossible. About receiving a life-changing scholarship to attend WSU, she says, “this opportunity has driven me further. I feel like I have someone in my corner rooting for me, and that I am not going through this alone.” As a psychology and communications: leadership and advocacy major with a Spanish minor, Zaria plans to attend graduate school to become a guidance counselor. She has been inspired to give back as soon as she is able and hopes to change the world by positively impacting those she meets.

What these three inspiring young women have in common, aside from difficult backgrounds, is that they are all recipients of the Leaders for Tomorrow scholarship at WSU, provided by the Annexstad Family Foundation.

The scholarship helps “exceptionally bright and accomplished students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have overcome extraordinary hardship in their young lives and who have little or no means to pay for college.” The ultimate goal is to allow each scholar to graduate with little to no debt. Working together in close partnership, the University and the Annexstad Family Foundation secure the funds so the goal of graduating debt-free can truly be realized for each Annexstad scholar. For their part, students must continue to fulfill the three requirements of the scholarship: to be enrolled as a full-time student, continue to meet WSU’s academic standards, and stay on track to graduate.

“We thank the Annexstad Family Foundation for their support of these well-deserving students at Winona State,” says WSU President Scott Olson. “These students have shown the promise and perseverance to one day become chosen leaders in their field and, with the help of the Leaders for Tomorrow scholarship, are realizing futures they never thought possible and learning the importance of giving back. Together, we’re all working to improve our world.”

Full story can be found on the Winona State University website

Family establishes scholarship to help members of the Clemson family achieve their dreams.

A college degree is one of the most valuable tools to success, but now more than ever young adults are faced with obstacles ultimately limiting their chances of achieving this dream.

Clemson joined the Annexstad Family Foundation’s Leaders for Tomorrow national scholarship program in 2016, with the scholarship awarded to Xavier Smith ’20, a McColl, S.C. native. The high school senior was overjoyed to learn that he was Tigertown Bound. However, in addition to a feeling of joy also came a feeling of apprehension. How would the cost of his college education be covered?

“The first day I got to Clemson, I was so excited. My roommate is one of my friends from high school, and we spent the day walking around campus meeting new people. Without the Annexstad Family Foundation Scholarship, I wouldn’t be here right now having these moments,” he said.

Xavier Smith ’20

Smith never watched much college football prior to coming to Clemson, but that has certainly changed since becoming a Tiger. He has developed a strong love for Clemson football and is happy to say the team won the 2016 College Football National Championship his freshman year.

In addition to campus activities, the scholarship is guiding the biochemistry major along the path to achieving his dreams of going into the medical field. Smith is currently considering both neurology and pharmacy and is thankful for the opportunity to do so.

Like Al and Cathy Annexstad, Smith isn’t letting his past hardships stop him from achieving his goals, and it’s important that those who face similar situations do the same.

“We are delighted that Clemson has chosen to partner with us,” noted co-founder Al Annexstad. “Young people like Xavier represent a huge reservoir of future leaders for the country. We wish him well.”

Thanks to the Annexstad family’s generosity, the financial burden for many young students across the country has been lifted. “To anyone who is experiencing or has overcome a challenging upbringing, there are programs out there,” Smith said. “They want to help you further your education. They know it’s hard for you and will help you in any way possible.”

Full story can be found on the Clemson University website

Originally posted June 26th, 2014 on Blogs at Gustavus
By Ethan Armstrong

To officially close the 2013-14 academic year, the Gustavus Adolphus Sports Information Department is proud to announce senior football player Jeffrey Dubose (St. Paul, Minn.) and senior swimmer Alissa Tinklenberg (Willmar, Minn.) as this season’s Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year.

A running back who broke nearly every Gustavus rushing record in his final season wearing a winged helmet, Jeffrey Dubose is the second football player to receive the honor since Ryan Hoag ’03 did so in 2002. Solidifying her place as the most honored swimmer in the history of the program, Alissa Tinklenberg is the first to be named Student-Athlete of the Year twice after also receiving the award as a sophomore following the 2011-12 season. Tinklenberg is the second women’s swimmer to take home the award, following in the footsteps of Andrea Kleven ’04 in 2001.

This year, eight male and eight female athletes were nominated. Once nominations are finalized, they are balloted and voted on by the head coaches at Gustavus.  Coaches vote for their top-three athletes on both the men’s and women’s sides, awarding five points for a first place vote, three points for second place, and one point for third.

Finishing runner-up in this year’s men’s voting was senior track & field athlete Cameron Clause (Mankato, Minn.) and taking third was junior men’s soccer player Zach Brown (Eau Claire, Wis.). Receiving the second-most points for the women was rookie softball and hockey player Hannah Heacox (Stillwater, Minn.), while placing third was junior track and field athlete Elizabeth Weiers (Le Center, Minn.).

Jeffrey Dubose ’14 and Alissa Tinklenberg ’14

There isn’t a whole lot more to be written about the careers of both Jeffrey Dubose and Alissa Tinklenberg that already hasn’t been done so before. Since they both stepped onto campus in the fall of 2010, Jeffrey and Alissa’s careers, all their accolades, the highs and lows, wins and losses, school records, standout performances, and impact on both their respective programs and Gustavus have been well documented.

For head coaches Peter Haugen and Jon Carlson, these student-athletes have been game-breakers, leaders, and model Gusties since day one.  The successes of the Gustavus football team had a direct correlation to what Dubose could do with the football in his hands, and the powerhouse that the Gustavus women’s swimming & diving team has become was built largely on Tink’s ability to glide through the water and win races.

Originally posted June 26th, 2014 on Blogs at Gustavus
By Matt Thomas

The Annexstad Mall extends west from Christ Chapel to the Linnaeus Arboretum (Photo by Matt Thomas)

The Board of Trustees of Gustavus Adolphus College has announced that the recently developed West Mall will now be known as the Annexstad Family Mall in recognition of Al and Cathy Annexstad for their years of support of the College through the Annexstad Family Foundation Scholarship Program.

Al Annexstad literally grew up on the Gustavus campus. His widowed mother, Alice, worked in the College’s Food Service to support her family.  As a child, Al helped out in the kitchen and experienced the informal mentoring of college students and professors alike. Although he graduated from Mankato State College, Gustavus has remained close to his heart. In 2000, the Annexstad Family Foundation established its scholarship program for financially disadvantaged students who had been served by the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.  Its first recipient enrolled at Gustavus and graduated in 2005. To date, twenty Annexstad Family Foundation scholarships have been awarded at Gustavus, including one in 2014.  Thirteen have earned their degrees thus far.

In 2012, the Annexstad Family Foundation expanded upon its mission, partnering with a select group of America’s most distinguished colleges and universities—among them, Harvard, Yale, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, Michigan, Stanford, and Notre Dame.  The foundation established the Leaders for Tomorrow National Scholarship program, which is intensely focused on helping build the nation’s next generation of leaders.  Gustavus will join this prestigious group of institutions this fall when two Leaders for Tomorrow Scholars will be named.

Cathy and Al Annexstad

Annexstad spent 48 years at Owatonna, Minn., based Federated Insurance Companies before his retirement in 2012.  He steadily worked his way through the ranks of the company before becoming chairman, president and CEO. Federated experienced unprecedented growth under his leadership and transformed from a successful regional company into a prominent national insurance organization. Annexstad has been a member of the Gustavus Board of Trustees since 2001. He was accorded an honorary doctorate degree from Gustavus at commencement exercises in 2005. His alma mater, Minnesota State University, Mankato, presented him with its Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2001. More recently, both Al and Cathy received honorary doctorate degrees from MSU, Mankato.  In 2010, he was named as a Horatio Alger Award Winner.  Horatio Alger Award Winners are role models whose experiences exemplify that opportunities for a successful life are available to all individuals who are dedicated to the principles of integrity, hard work, perseverance, and compassion for others.

The Annexstad Family Mall extends west from Christ Chapel to the Linnaeus Arboretum. The Mall was conceptualized in 2012 with the completion of Beck Academic Hall and includes the Sesquicentennial Plaza. The Annexstad Family Mall will eventually feature a second plaza that will recognize donors to Campaign Gustavus.

“This is quite an honor for Cathy and me and our family,” Annexstad noted recently.  “Gustavus has had a very special place in our hearts, in large part because my dear mother spent so much of her life here.  This honor is magnified many times over by the success we see our Annexstad Scholars having at Gustavus as they continue on the path to productive and rewarding lives.”

A dedication ceremony for the Annexstad Family Mall was held on Thursday, June 26 in conjunction with the College’s summer Board of Trustees meeting.

Originally posted May 15th, 2014 on the Minnesota State University Mankato TODAY Magazine
By Carol Jones

Kady Johnson

Kady Johnson ’13 MA remembers crying the day she was accepted to college. She cried because she hadn’t expected it to be an option for her—and because she didn’t think that she would be able to pay for it.

Johnson grew up in a home with limited financial resources. She had no expectation of being able to go to college, but she applied anyway. So when an acceptance letter arrived, she wept. “That was a defining moment in my life,” she says.

A scholarship from the Annexstad Family Foundation made it possible for Johnson to attend college—and now, as a program administrator for that same foundation, Johnson helps other students in similar situations realize their dreams. She sees first-hand the impact scholarships have on students.

Like Sierra Fedder, who received one of the two Leaders of Tomorrow scholarships given by the Annexstad Family Foundation to Minnesota State Mankato students this year. For Fedder, receiving the scholarship meant that she didn’t have to rely on loans and work multiple jobs. “It’s super helpful,” she says.

The funding for two annual Leaders of Tomorrow scholarships, as well as an annual Big Brother Big Sister scholarship, came from alumnus Al Annexstad ’67 and his wife Cathy as part of the recently completed Big Ideas Campaign. Almost one-third of the $77.8 million raised during that campaign—$22, 936,752.56—went to scholarships. And those scholarships are having an immediate impact on students at Minnesota State Mankato.

“Seeing the cost of college for the first time can be a real shock to a student and can be overwhelming to a family; it was to mine. Like me, many could not attend without scholarships,” says Johnson.

As she sees scholarships being awarded, Johnson watches the transformative effect they have on students. “It is amazing. Students make an emotional connection to what the scholarship means,” she says. “We hear repeatedly how scholarships help them fulfill their dreams.”

Raising the Bar

The nation-wide funding shift in higher education continues to increase the financial burden on students and creates barriers to post-secondary education. “The high cost of college education can lead to access problems—kids either can’t afford college or students take on all sorts of debt,” says Kent Clark, vice president for university advancement at Minnesota State Mankato.

The average loan debt of Minnesota State Mankato graduates is nearly $30,000.

In addition to providing greater access to higher education, Clark says that privately funded scholarships impact the University in another way. “As we continue to be the excellent university that we are and really offer the very best education possible, we find ourselves in a competitive marketplace for students. Nothing enhances our ability to compete for great students like scholarship dollars,” he says.

“You can almost go department to department—the more scholarships they have, the higher level of performance you will see from students both while on campus and after graduation,” says Walter Zakahi, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. For example, the Department of Theatre and Dance gives 45 scholarships per year; several are first-year talent grants. The impact of that is pretty direct.

“We have a talent depth that wouldn’t be there without the scholarships,” Zakahi says. “Our program is recognized nationally for its excellence and locally, audience members enjoy a level of theatre and dance that is really unprecedented in a university setting.”

A strong scholarship program attracts talented students; those students elevate the performance of other students, push faculty and contribute to the community as actors, singers, dancers, writers and artists. After graduation, they go on to perform on Broadway, pen national bestsellers and serve as leaders of businesses and organizations.

“I cannot tell you whether or not these students would have gotten a college education without the scholarships or whether they would have come to Minnesota State Mankato,” says Zakahi. “However, I can tell you that we compete on a much higher level when we have the scholarships than when we don’t.”

Making an Impact

Providing a scholarship is often very personal to the donors as well. Al and Cathy Annexstad, for example, launched the Annexstad Family Foundation in 2000 to help students who, like Al, faced financial hardships or who were involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters, an organization that they support. Although they are particularly proud to fund scholarships at Minnesota State Mankato because of their personal ties to the University, they provide others at institutions around the country as well.

“Donors have the desire and the means to make a big impact,” says Johnson. “And they recognize that, for some students, a college education can be a ticket out of a difficult situation, whether it is poverty, social oppression or being first in your family to attend.”

Like most donors, the Annexstad Family Foundation has a vision for how its scholarship dollars will be distributed. “The majority of Mankato’s scholarship dollars are donor directed. They reflect the experiences and values of donors,” says Jeff Halbur, senior director of development and planned giving. “Donors may have an emotional connection to and/or an appreciation for the profession, academic program, the University or the financial need of the student. Many employ a ‘pay it forward’ approach.”

“Some of the most passionate donors are people who speak or think often about the direction of the country,” adds Clark.

Johnson agrees. She sees donors who are uniquely aware of the global impact scholarships can make locally. “They understand the special needs of students. They recognize the potential of students and the need for support,” she says. “Scholarships help secure the next generation and the next great minds.”

“Few things give people the opportunity to have a direct impact on what is going to happen in their community for generations to come,” adds Clark. “You make an endowed scholarship gift and you are going to have a direct, tangible effect in perpetuity—that is quite powerful.”

“Scholarships help secure the next generation and the next great minds.” —Kady Johnson

Philip Munkvold

Philip Munkvold

College of Education Dean’s Scholarship

Philip Munkvold doesn’t remember a time when he didn’t want to be an educator. The dedication and commitment of his second grade teacher, Mrs. B., made a profound impression on him, especially because she went out of her way to help him as he underwent chemotherapy to fight leukemia.

“I chose to enter the field of education because I have had some really remarkable teachers growing up, and they became a catalyst for many of the decisions I have made throughout my life,” he says. “I owe a special thanks to my second grade teacher, who proved to me that teaching does not belong just in a classroom.”

Even as a student, Munkvold’s focus extends beyond the classroom and his course requirements. He sings in three choirs, volunteers with Colleges Against Cancer and the Children’s Miracle Network, and has held leadership positions in Mankato’s Elementary Education Club.

That community work, combined with Munkvold’s leadership skills, helped him earn the 2013-2014 College of Education Dean’s Scholarship, which has reduced his financial stress and allowed him to focus on his education.

Rather than heading off to another job after a day of student teaching in the St. Peter Public School District, Munkvold is able to take the time he needs to reflect, research and plan effective lessons for the next day. “I have time to think about what went well and what I could do better,” he says. “As a result, I think my students get better lessons and when I graduate, I will have more to contribute as a licensed teacher.”

Every day, Munkvold aspires to be like Mrs. B. “I hope to make an impact on my students that is just as profound as the impact left on me,” he says.

Tatiana Soboleva

Tatiana Soboleva

Winston Grundmeier Chemistry Scholarship 

Gladys Olson/Bill Olszewski Scholarship 

Tatiana Soboleva grew up in the Eastern European country of Moldova. Extremely bright, hardworking and passionate about science, Soboleva yearned for a challenge but found limited educational opportunities at home. As she explored various options, a family friend told her about the quality of education in Minnesota.

She immediately applied to Minnesota State Mankato. When she received her acceptance letter, Soboleva also received an international student scholarship that helped affirm her decision to come to Mankato.

Although she misses her family and friends back home, her introductory science courses made the decision worthwhile. “I had the most amazing biology and chemistry courses,” Soboleva says. “I switched my major to biochemistry. I want to understand biology—the study of the human body and cells—for chemical applications.”

Now, as a senior, Soboleva’s hard work and dedication have earned her a pair of scholarships: the Gladys Olson/Bill Olszewski Scholarship from the International Student Endowment Fund and the Winston Grundmeier Chemistry Scholarship.

Those scholarships make it possible for Soboleva to devote her time to what she is most passionate about: research. She is currently involved in four research projects: a study of the genetic mutations of fruit flies; an egg white purification project; an analysis of archival French paternity suit documents that allows her to put her nine years of studying French to use; and using electro-paramagnetic resonance to study the oxidative effects on muscle protein function, under the direction of a new faculty member, Rebecca Moen. “I was so interested in this kind of biophysics research, I begged to join Dr. Moen’s research before she came to Mankato,” Soboleva says.

Her experience on different research teams helps Soboleva develop ideas for her future. “At a recent conference, collaboration among groups was a big topic. Collaboration allows growth. One day my goal is to help international science communities grow through collaborative, applied research,” she says. “We can unite resources and show real results.”

Sierra Fedder

Sierra Fedder

Leaders for Tomorrow Scholarship 

Not long after graduating from Mankato West High School, Sierra Fedder got a call from the Upward Bound counselor she had worked with for several years. “He asked if it was okay for him to recommend me for a scholarship,” Fedder says.

The scholarship that counselor recommended was the Leaders for Tomorrow scholarship from the Annexstad Family Foundation, which is awarded to two students with both financial need and demonstrated potential for leadership at several select universities around the country—including Minnesota State Mankato.

Receiving the scholarship allowed Fedder to start planning for her future. Now she knows that she’ll be financially able to finish her degree at Minnesota State Mankato, and even though she hasn’t officially declared a major yet, she knows what her ultimate goal is.

“I know that I want to help people,” she says. “I don’t know exactly how yet, but I know that’s what I want to do.”