Rotary awards $42,500 to Estes Park seniors
At a special May 19 program, the Rotary Club of Estes Park presented scholarships to 11 students help them reach their post-high school educational goals. Bill Solms, Rotary Club of Estes Park President, Doug Mann, 2019-20 club president, and Anne Slack, Scholarship Committee Chairperson, presented the awards. The scholarships totaled $42,500 and represent the club’s tradition of local support for education.
The Rotary Club of Estes Park raises funds for scholarships in several ways, including the Annual Rotary Golf Tournament for Scholarships, the Shred-a-Thon, and members’ donations. In addition, memorial scholarship funds honor former club members’ lives and passions.
The 2021 scholarship recipients include:
Meila Igel, who will attend the Colorado School of Mines, Isabella Fanucchi, who will attend the University of Minnesota -Twin Cities, and Ellie Bergsten, who will attend Concordia College, Moorehead, MN, were named recipients of the Rotary Club of Estes Park Academic Scholarships. These awards provide each student with $2,000 per year for four years and are offered on the basis of academic achievement and promise, activities, and citizenship.
Rachel Calvin, who will attend Fort Hays State University, earned the Rotary Club of Estes Park Roger M. Thorp Memorial Scholarship. It is a four-year scholarship of $1000/year for a student interested in architecture or interior design.
Alexander Henderson, who will attend Front Range Community College, received the Rotary Club of Estes Park Carver Family Vocational Scholarship. It is a two-year scholarship of $1,000/year for a student attending a vocational school, community college, or a two-year technical program.
Ruth Walker, who will attend York College, earned the Rotary Club of Estes Park Lynn Coffman Scholarship. It provides $1,500 for one year to a student graduating from Estes Park High School who is planning to major in business or related disciplines.
Lucas Pearson, who will attend Belmont in Nashville, received the Rotary Club of Estes Park Ron L. Kuhns Memorial Scholarship. It is a $1,500 award given to a student who possesses a passion and an aptitude for a unique field of study.
Cole Murray, who will attend the University of Wyoming, earned the Rotary Club of Estes Park Bob Brunson and Roger Thorp Memorial Scholarship. This is a $4,000 scholarship which provides $2,000 per year to a student who is pursuing a vocational or non-traditional field of study.
Bradon Moore, who will attend Nebraska Wesleyan University, and Ethan Hill, who will attend Colorado Northwestern Community College, earned the Rotary Club of Estes Park Lee and Alice Hagemeister Memorial Scholarships. Each will receive $1,500.
Jana Coop, who will attend Colorado Mesa University, received the Rotary Club of Estes Park Stanley Hotel Scholarship. This $2,500 award is for a student graduating from Estes Park High School who is planning to major in hotel and/or restaurant management, event planning or a wellness-related field.
The Rotary Club of Estes Park’s Scholarship Committee reviews all student applications, essays and letters of recommendation in a process that takes nearly a month. The committee then interviews several applicants for each scholarship before making final decisions.
"I am grateful for the time and opinions invested by Bruce Brown, Gregg Jurgens, Jim Whiteneck, Guy Van der Werf, Pete Sumey and Verlene Thorp in evaluating students,” said Anne Slack. “And, last but not least, Doug Mann and Bill Solms for their amazing job presenting the awards."
Scholars are invited to meet Rotary Club of Estes Park members by attending meetings as their busy schedules permit.