Warroad Students’ Lives Impacted by Warroad Scholarship Program
2022 Winners of the William S. and Margaret I. Marvin Scholarship
We are halfway through August and while we hold our grasp firmly on the fleeting days of summer, the release of school supplies lists, class schedules, and fall sports practices remind us that fall is just around the corner. For the 2022 graduates of Warroad High School, their next chapter is just beginning to unfold. Thanks to $2,568,000 in scholarships awarded this spring, many of these young men and women will have a leg up on their future success.
This year was the largest scholarship award amount to date, but Warroad has a robust scholarship program that regularly awards over $1M to each graduating class. While some scholarships are geared toward a specific college or field of study, others focus on arts, academics, or athletics. A very special scholarship opportunity highlights the importance of giving back with a focus on community service. The William S. and Margaret I. Marvin Scholarship was made possible through a 15-million-dollar endowment made by the late couple, who grew up in the depression era and understood the value of hard work and education. This scholarship offers awardees a full ride to the 2-year trade or technical school or 4-year college or university, (up to $40,000). Since its inception in 2007, over 300 WHS graduates have benefitted from this scholarship, with countless more receiving other scholarship awards throughout the years.
We caught up with a few alumni from the graduating classes of 2014 and 2015 who have benefitted from the scholarship program to see what impact this has had on their life.
Andrea Warkentin graduated Warroad High School in 2015, and for her, the journey to the scholarship awards was just as memorable as the awards themselves. “I just remember the sense of accomplishment I felt when I submitted that last volunteer hour form, with the tallied amount that I had worked towards for four years. I love working towards a goal and I especially enjoyed investing in my small-town community. It was so much fun handing that final package over. And the anticipation when waiting on the results! My friend stood up like a football goal post when my name was said at the awards ceremony, and I don’t know if I’ve had a better night in high school!”
She received a mix of local and university scholarships and went on to pursue English Literature and Writing and Biblical Studies at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul. “These amazing scholarships allowed me to choose a private college and study in a Christ-centered atmosphere like I was really wanting to. I wouldn’t have been able to afford it without the generosity of the Marvin scholarships.” Beyond bolstering her college choice, the scholarships drastically reduced her financial stress. “I was so lucky to have those payments come in each semester. I treated the rest of the payments like a regular bill to be paid. It was honestly such a relief to have that financial help – I am so grateful. My stress could then be devoted to the busywork at hand, grades, and getting the payment in on time rather than my overall finances.”
She remembers her time at WHS warmly. “The music program especially helped me throughout High School– Mrs. Paulson was one of the best teachers I have had and had high standards for us as a choir. I really enjoyed band throughout too. There was so much support and encouragement and drive to succeed. Lots of people to talk with when I needed help or advice. It’s really rare to find a community like this with that much support, knowledge, and love.”
Andrea now lives in St. Paul and works for Marvin in Asset Management – photography and usage management for the company.
Kimmy Schaible graduated in 2014 and received four scholarships from the Warroad Scholarship Program. These scholarships played a big role in her college choice. “I was considering three schools when I was looking at colleges- U of M Twin Cities, Concordia College, and NDSU. I ruled out U of M right away due to the size, but when comparing Concordia vs. NDSU it really came down to cost. With the scholarships I received from Warroad, combined with what Concordia offered me, it would have been like attending NDSU without any scholarships at all. In addition, I knew I wanted to go on to pharmacy school, which was also a big expense.” She ultimately opted to get more bang for her buck at NDSU and says, “I would definitely make the same choice again!”
With these scholarships, she was able to cover her first three years of college in full without student debt and use the 4th year of her scholarships to offset the costs of her first year of pharmacy. “It was an incredible gift and something I appreciate everyday. It definitely helped ease the financial burden of college costs!”
“The scholarship program at WHS is just one of the many wonderful opportunities Warroad offers,” says Schaible. “I have very fond memories of my time at WHS. I will always credit WHS for fueling my interests in science and chemistry, which led me to pursue my Doctor of Pharmacy.”
Kimmy now lives in Tioga, ND, a small town about the size of Warroad, and works as a pharmacist alongside her fiancé, Patrick (who is also a pharmacist), at his father’s drugstore.
Andrew Hagen graduated Warroad High School in 2015. He went on to attend the University of Minnesota for his undergrad, and later Purdue University for his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. A recipient of several local scholarships, including the large Marvin scholarship, Andrew was able to attend college without taking on any additional student loans.
“The scholarships didn't directly affect my college choice, but they removed financial stress from the equation while I was at school, which helped me focus on my studies and improved my college experience greatly. Because I graduated debt-free, I was able to attend grad school and get my master's degree. That was one of the factors that led to my current job with SpaceX, which has been an incredible experience so far.”
His interest in Mechanical Engineering was enhanced through his participation in the robotics program at WHS. “Both the scholarship program and participating in the FIRST Robotics team at WHS had a huge impact on my life beyond high school, so I'm very grateful to have had access to those opportunities.”
Andrew now lives in Los Angeles and works at SpaceX as an Integration & Test Engineer for the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
Bridget Erickson graduated from Warroad High School in 2015 and studied Global Business Leadership with a concentration in Entrepreneurship at the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University. She was able to cover 95% of her college tuition and expenses through scholarships awarded to her from her University and Warroad’s Scholarship Program.
“Having much of the financial costs associated with college covered by scholarships, [I had] the freedom and flexibility to look past the "sticker price" of a college and [this] allowed me to choose a college that I felt would be a best fit for me. In my case, that meant attending a liberal arts college with a small-school feel and joining a close-knit community where I felt at home, became involved in, and thrived in. It also meant that I was able to avoid taking out student loans to help pay my college tuition. I was truly able to focus on gleaning all that I could out of my college experience without having to stress about finances during my college years. After I graduated, I was able to pursue some volunteer work and other unique work opportunities before diving into my career full-time. Now, I am also better able to continue to work and plan for my future financially.”
To Bridget, the scholarships she received were a confirmation of the hard work she put into her academics and extracurriculars during high school. “It was a learning opportunity for me to realize that focus and hard work can result in great reward.” She felt a sense of responsibility to the scholarship contributors who invested in her to put her college experience and education to good use. But more than anything, she felt grateful. “I really can't say enough about how unique and impactful the scholarship program at WHS is. Year after year, it makes higher education more attainable for students and empowers students to pursue college opportunities they might not be able to consider otherwise. The community is one that views its community members as the most worthwhile investment, and we have seen our alumni do great things because of it! I have a lot of gratitude for every person in the Warroad community that helps make scholarships possible for Warroad High School graduates like myself.”
Bridget currently resides in Duluth, MN, and works as a Kitchen and Bath Designer for a residential remodeling company called J&RS.
Molly McDonald graduated Warroad in 2015 and went on to attend the University of MN Duluth where she pursued a triple major in Social Studies Education, Music, and History. She received seven different scholarships from the Warroad community which covered about half of her college expenses.
“These scholarships impacted my experience greatly and in a few different ways. When I arrived at UMD, I was very hesitant on selecting a major and struggled to simply choose one. Knowing that I had financial support, I decided, for my happiness and future success, to study music and complete two other degrees that would allow me to be an effective social studies teacher. I knew full well that I would be in school for 5 years and the scholarship would allow me to do so without a significant amount of financial stress. Scholarships also allowed me the financial opportunity to take advantage of UMD’s study abroad program. I was fortunate enough to travel to Costa Rica on a short-term trip to study the impacts of tourism in third world countries and completed part of my student teaching in Ireland. Those experiences alone have given me a better understanding of the world and have assisted me in my professional career teaching geography!”
Molly received a few university scholarships in addition to the scholarships from Warroad and served as a Residential Advisor, which allowed her to save money on housing and food. She also worked a few weekends a month throughout the school year and significant hours in the summer to be financially stable. “I still needed to work because I wanted to travel and to take advantage of my undergraduate career, [but] a full-time job was never absolutely necessary, and I was able to focus on my studies. I was able to fully immerse myself in the university experience without fear of dropping out due to a financial situation, something that occurs more frequently than one would think.”
Now an educator herself, Molly reflects on her experience at Warroad High School fondly. “Warroad’s scholarship program is unlike any other. I mean that wholeheartedly. Being someone in the field of education, I am yet to see a school that allows for so much opportunity for its students. It is truly a special place to grow up and be a part of. I am an example of how to maximize Warroad High School and I do not mean that in an expression of arrogance. Being able to participate in athletics, music, complete higher level academic courses, and so on without hesitation from teachers and coaches is special. Personally, I was never torn or told to quit something because of lack of time, and I was always supported to work hard and be involved in what I could be. Students have a lot to be a part of and amazing people to help them through it.”
Molly currently teaches middle and high school social studies at Crosby Ironton High School. She also acts as an assistant coach for her school’s volleyball and softball programs.