Scholarships

2022-2023 Scholarship Information

Jenn Tesch

October 5, 2021

2022-2023 Scholarship Information

If you plan on going to a trade school, college, or university after you graduate, you will most likely need financial aid to help pay your way. Scholarships are monetary awards given to students that do not have to be paid back. Receiving a scholarship can be based on different factors that may include: academic achievement, athletic achievement, involvement in a club or organization, and more. 

 The best time to begin thinking about applying for scholarships is right now. Scholarships have fixed dates that your application must be received by to be considered as a candidate to receive the award. 

 Go through this scholarship list and write the application due date down in a calendar so you can be sure to get the application papers submitted on time.

Dollars for Scholars All Garrison High School students have an opportunity to receive scholarship money through the Dollars for Scholars program if they successfully graduate from high school. The Garrison Dollars for Scholars program was founded in 1991, and all graduating seniors can receive scholarship awards if they meet minimum requirements. Overall amounts are determined by GPA, class rank, community involvement, and more. Mrs. Ruud and Mrs. Behles or another representative from Garrison Dollars for Scholars will help guide seniors through the online application process well before the due date. 

  Institutional Scholarships When you apply to a college or university, you also complete a financial aid application which helps the school determine what grants or scholarships you may be eligible for. Most of the time, this is done based on the demographic information you entered when you applied (gender, ethnicity, degree program, and so on). If you apply to North Dakota State University, their financial aid office will determine what eligible awards you could receive that are specific to your school. It doesn’t hurt to double-check what’s available to ensure that you didn’t miss out on an award for which you could potentially be a candidate. College and university websites have specific financial aid webpages, and you can search for available scholarships. 

  • For example, here is the link to Bismarck State College’s scholarship directory: https://bismarckstate.edu/admissions/payingforcollege/scholarships/. If you have unsuccessfully tried searching for the scholarship directory at the school you want to attend, this is a great question to ask an admissions representative. You can also get help from Mrs. Ruud.

 Other Scholarships Hard copies of scholarship applications will be printed off and placed in the literature rack outside Mrs. Ruud’s office when they are mailed to GHS. Notices about due dates and other scholarship information will be regularly communicated through RemindApp. You can also keep track of local scholarships by using the following list, which is posted out of convenience for students and parents.

Guidance and Help Mrs. Ruud is available to meet with juniors and seniors to help with scholarship application questions. Please stop by his office or contact him by e-mail to set up an appointment: darlene.ruud@k12.nd.us. 

North Dakota Academic & CTE Scholarships—Mrs. Ruud will contact you for this scholarship to ensure you are on track! 

Award Amount: $6,000 over four years; $1500 per year

Eligibility Criteria: meet all of the scholarship criteria found on the ND DPI website: https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/Early%20Learning/Directions%20for%20Scholarship.pdf  

How to Apply: Applications are accepted from January 2-June 2 to be considered.  Additional details can be found at: https://www.nd.gov/dpi/parentscommunity/scholarships.

The List (if you know of a local scholarship that is missing from this list or the information is outdated, e-mail: darlene.ruud@k12.nd.us 

This should not be considered a completely exhaustive list. Other scholarships will come to my attention throughout the year and will be communicated on RemindApp. You can also find more by doing your research online.

  • BBB Student of Integrity Scholarship  Award Amount: Three Scholarships- one for $5,000, three for $2,500, and two for $1,000 Eligibility Criteria: Seniors from an accredited North Dakota or Minnesota high school.  How to Apply: Submit a 1,000-word essay sharing a personal example of how you were challenged and overcame a difficult situation by applying your high character and personal ethics.  The essay must accompany a scholarship entry form, one letter of recommendation, a copy of your high school transcript, and a list of extracurricular activities.  Judging will be based mainly on the content of the essay. Open from Jan. 6-Feb. 16 2022. Link: https://www.bbb.org/local/0704/bbb-foundation/student-of-integrity-scholarship
  • Bremer Bank: Description: There is a directory of scholarships on this website that are distributed through Bremer Bank. Please use the website for detailed information about due dates, award amounts, and eligibility requirements. Applications open on December 1st. Website: https://www.communitygiving.org/applyforscholarships
  • Dakota Cruisers Scholarship: Eligibility: Minot's Dakota Cruisers car club will again award $500 scholarships to students from area schools pursuing a career in automotive repair and restoration. Students must be enrolled or plan on enrolling in a vocational college in North Dakota, with additional consideration given to accredited, approved out-of-state institutions. This scholarship will be emailed to me, and I will share it via RemindApp and be posted outside the counselor’s office door. Due Date: April 30, 2023 (exact date TBD)
  • HELEN BERGSTROM ERNST SCHOLARSHIP FUND: The Helen Bergstrom Ernst Scholarship Fund was established to allow members of the Spirit Lake tribe to pursue their educational goals. Applicants must be enrolled members of the Spirit Lake tribe, enrolled full-time in an accredited post-secondary institution, and maintain a 2.00 GPA. The deadline for the scholarship is September 30th of each year. Applications are available by contacting the Spirit Lake Tribe Education Office, PO Box 359, Ft. Totten, ND 58335. (701) 766-4347.  Applications are available online at http://www.spiritlakenation.com/programs/departments/education 
  • McLean Electric/Basin Electric Scholarship: Eligibility & Amount: The Scholarship Program will award two scholarships for $500. The scholarships must be used for educational costs, and the student must enter a higher education institution in the fall of the school year for which the scholarship is given or be an enrolled higher education student. Checks will be made payable to the school. Deadline February 1, 2022 Website: http://www.mcleanelectric.com/content/scholarships
  • McLean Electric Scholarship: Eligibility & Amount: McLean Electric Cooperative, Inc. is pleased to offer a financial assistance award to assist youth in pursuing their higher education goals. McLean Electric will give $500 financial assistance to one student enrolled or planning to enroll in a full-time graduate or undergraduate course of study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational/technical school. Deadline February 1, 2022 Website: http://www.mcleanelectric.com/content/scholarships
  • Michael Odermann Memorial Scholarship: Description & Eligibility: High school seniors graduating in 2021 are eligible to receive a $1,000 college scholarship from the Michael Odermann Memorial Scholarship Pheasant Hunt. There will be two scholarships available to seniors. The student must be enrolled in a western North Dakota high school and participate actively in one Fine Art and one Athletic co-curricular activity as a senior. The student must have maintained a GPA of 2.5 (on a 4-point scale) or better throughout high school. To qualify for this competitive scholarship, a student must submit a 1–3-page essay (minimum 500 words). Winners will be notified by letter. FB page: https://www.facebook.com/birds4scholars/
    Due Date: April 2022 (exact day TBD) Contact for an application: jaodermann@gmail.com
  • ND Corn Growers Association: Description: The North Dakota Corn Growers Association awarded 10 – $1,000 scholarships in 2020, typically including a recipient from each organization’s seven districts and three at-large recipients. To be eligible for the North Dakota Corn Growers Association scholarship, students had to submit: a completed application, career plans, at least two letters of recommendation from non-family members, a resume, and a copy of their most recent transcript. Applicants are required to be a North Dakota Corn Growers Association member. Student memberships are available for high school and post-secondary students for $10. Applications are due by January 31st, 2022. Website:https://bismarckstate.edu/uploads/290/2022%20North%20Dakota%20Corn%20Growers%20Association%20Scholarship.pdf
  • ND Crop Improvement Association: Amount: Three $1000 scholarships available to incoming first-year students. Three $1000 scholarships are available to undergraduates (excluding first-year students). Eligibility: The applicant shall be a resident of the state of North Dakota and attend a North Dakota School. Applicant and guardian shall be a member of their respective county Crop (Ag) Improvement Association. The applicant shall be a full-time student (12 credits or more). Website: https://ndcropimprovement.com/north-dakota-college-scholarships-awards/
  • Reuben T. Guenthner Scholarship Eligibility: Be a graduating senior from a North Dakota high school in 2022. Have completed one or more career and technical education courses between grades 9 and 12; (Career and Technical Education courses may be in any of the following programs: Agriculture Education; Business Education; Family and Consumer Sciences; Information Technology; Marketing Education; Technology and Engineering Education; or any of the programs in Trade, Industry, Technical and Health Education). Enroll in a two-year North Dakota public postsecondary institution. Enroll as a full-time student in a career and technical education program of two years or less. Amount: One scholarship in the amount of $500 each. Due April 1, 2022 Website: https://www.cte.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/Students/GuenthnerScholarship.pdf
  • RTC Coop Scholarship:  Description: In 2022, Reservation Telephone Cooperative (RTC) will award four college scholarships in varying amounts. Preference will be given to students going into telecom, IT, electronics, accounting, marketing, or business-related fields interested in returning to RTC’s service area after earning their degree. Eligibility: Be a high school senior who will enter your first year of college in the fall of 2018. Be a current member of RTC. To be a member, you or your parents/guardians must have local telephone service from RTC. Be a United States citizen. Have a “C” (2.0) average or better, grade 9 through December of grade 12. Be accepted by an accredited two‐year or four‐year college, university, or vocational-technical school. I have been involved in four different extra-curricular activities during high school. List each activity only once, regardless of the number of years involved. Activities may be related to your school, employment, or community. Website: https://www.rtc.coop/scholarships/
  • STANDING ROCK HIGHER EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP Applicants must be enrolled members of the Standing Rock Tribe. Applications are available by contacting the Office of Higher Education, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, PO Box D, Fort Yates, ND 58538, 1-800-854-2095. Deadline dates: Fall Semester–July 1, Spring Semester—December 30, Summer Semester–May 30.
  • TURTLE MOUNTAIN HIGHER EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP Applicants must be enrolled members of the Turtle Mountain Tribe. Applications are available by contacting Emil LaRoque, Scholarship Office, PO Box 900, Belcourt, ND 58316. (701) 477-8102. Deadline: September 1.
  • William John Tuntland Masonic Scholarship Description: Available for those pursuing a nursing degree. Information will be sent to Mrs. Ruud, who will distribute the information via RemindApp and post it outside the counselor’s office door. Due Date: March 2022 (exact date TBD)

 Other Resources

Bank of North Dakota College Handbook (see page 24): https://bnd.nd.gov/pdf/college-handbook.pdf