Dollars for Scholars marks 50 years

FAIRMONT-- Fairmont Dollars for Scholars is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Since 1974, the organization has given out a total of 4,697 scholarships valued at over $4.7 million to local students pursuing an education beyond high school.

Fairmont Dollars for Scholars is under the national organization though the local chapter was started by former Fairmont Area Schools Superintendent Lester Bauman and high school principal Casper Hegdal, with the help and donations of other Fairmont residents.

Some remaining funds were used as seed money to grow the local organization, which has had an impact on countless students over the last 50 years. In 2019, Fairmont Dollars for Scholars was the second largest chapter in Minnesota and one of the top 10 chapters in the U.S.

There are 18 total board member plus two student representatives, who this year are Oliver Thedens and Abi Peyman, bringing the total up to 20.

Over the past year there have been a number of changes to the local board. Bob Huemoeller stepped down as treasurer after 34 years and Ryan Fett took the role over. Liz Wheeler also left her role as secretary after 12 years and retired from the board and Mary Granheim stepped in as secretary.

"We have a lot of experience on the board, but we also have some newer ones taking on some roles," said Joann Woodward, who is the board's current president.

"There are no requirements to be on the board. You just need to have an interest in helping students," Woodward said.

The board meets once a month with the exception of the summer months and December for a total of eight times a year. The busiest time for the board is now as it prepares for awards night in May at which point students are given their scholarships and in some cases have the opportunity to meet with the donor.

Applications are now open on the website at fairmont.dollarsforscholars.org and will remain open through April 1.

There will be a help night for senior students and their parents on March 4 where some board members will be available to help with applications.

"It's not difficult, but they need to remember to keep clicking through the application," Woodward said.

Once all of the applications come in, the board goes through them following guidelines by Scholarship America. Woodward noted that none of the applications have names on them but are rather numbered so that the process remains fair.

"They're evaluated on their community participation, their grades and their activities in school," Woodward said.

Special circumstances and family life are also taken into consideration. Last year about 300 scholarships were given to students, though that number can change from year to year depending on how many students apply.

"Our donors can make a preference on what they want their scholarship to go to. For instance, some are for sports, some are for arts. We have a couple for accounting. They can make a preference but we have a lot who don't care. They just want to help a student go to college," Woodward said.

And in keeping with changes in education and demand, the board changed its bylaws last year to allow for students going to a vocational school to apply for a scholarship. Prior to that it was for students going to a traditional college or university but Woodward pointed out that not all students take that route.

"It's for going onward to school," Woodward said.

The minimum scholarship right now is $1,200 though Woodward said that amount is reviewed annually.

A lot of donors have set up scholarships a long time ago and in some case the donor is deceased but their large donation has carried on with a scholarship given to a student in their name year after year.

Woodward said one donor gives out five scholarships a year, but there are many who give a one time gift.

"We have wonderful donors and we're very grateful for them," Woodward said.

She believes the organizations is alive and well because of the people who have seen the importance of students having help to go to school.

"School is so expensive now. Some of our donors have been gone a long time and they wouldn't be able to imagine the cost of school now," Woodward said.

She said that when the Fairmont chapter of Dollars for Scholars started, it gave out $250 scholarships, which shows how much change there has been in the cost of school.

While the cost of school, the monetary amounts of scholarships and the board members have changed, one thing has not and that's the collective desire to help students afford to go on to obtain more education.

"There have been many people through the years on our board who just want students to get an education. It's wonderful," Woodward said.