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July 16, 2012
| You are receiving this newsletter from the Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation, Inc. because you are one of our past or current recipients, you signed up to receive this on our website, you asked to receive this, or you very generously made a financial contribution to support our organization. Thank you! |
Education Helps Keep Wisconsin Strong
by Elton Aberle, emeritus dean, UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and WROF, Inc. board member
WROF, Inc. board member Elton Aberle shows off a
walleye he caught on a recent trip to Canada.
I
feel strongly that rural areas must have well-educated, dedicated citizens in
order to grow and prosper in the 21st century. My desire to support quality
education is the main reason I joined the WROF, Inc. board of directors in
2006.
As
a former dean, I have seen firsthand how many students struggle to finance
their college educations. By encouraging and supporting educational
opportunities for students from rural areas, the WROF, Inc. is helping to ease
this financial burden, and helping to ensure that Wisconsin continues to be a
great place to live and work.
I
am proud to be a part of the WROF, Inc. and to work to grow its resource base,
so the foundation can continue fostering the health of rural Wisconsin, well into
the future. Without all of you, our past recipients, educational partners,
donors, and friends, we could not keep doing this valuable work. Thank you!
UW-Stevens Point Celebrates WROF, Inc. Partnership
Trainer Natural Resources building at UW-Stevens Point
For decades students at the UW-Stevens
Point have been benefitting from the generosity of the WROF, Inc. Scholarships
are awarded to students who are studying to maximize our natural resources and
honor our stewardship of the land.
 Sue Kissinger (left), coordinator of advising
and recruitment for the UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources, says
investing in bright students who have a passion for the productive partnership
between our natural resources and our rural enterprise is one that will provide
win-win situations for our state, our rural economy, and the overall life enjoyment
of future generations.
"The WROF, Inc. scholarships target students who are from small communities throughout Wisconsin," says Kissinger. "Many of these students come
from a farm background. It is great to be able to reward them for their hard
work in college, which is a reflection of the great work ethic that students
from a rural area demonstrate."
Kissinger notes that more than 300
students apply for the CNR scholarship program each year, and that number
continues to grow. This year, the following UW-Stevens Point students are
receiving WROF, Inc. scholarships of $1,000 each.
Justin is majoring in general
resource management with a minor in forestry wildlife. He currently has a 3.81
GPA. He also competes in pole vault for UWSP track and field. He grew up in
Shell Lake, WI.
Matthew is majoring in forest
management and currently has a 3.97 GPA. His love of hunting and fishing
inspired him to pursue a career in natural resources. He grew up in Holmen, WI.
Danielle is majoring in water
resources and Spanish, and is working to obtain a Wetland Science and
Management Certificate. She currently has a 3.84 GPA. She grew up near New
Glarus, WI.
The
College of Natural Resources is widely regarded as the largest undergraduate
program of its type in the nation. Currently the CNR has over 1,600
declared majors in the fields of forestry, resource management, fisheries and water
resources, wildlife ecology, soil and waste resources, and paper science and engineering.
Last year, the WROF, Inc. scholarships were part of a CNR program that awarded more
than $180,000 in scholarships to over 200 deserving students.
For
more information on the College of Natural Resources at UW-Stevens Point,
please contact Sue Kissinger at [email protected]
or 715-346-4081.
4-H Gave Me Lifelong Leadership, Management Skills
by Kimberly Young
WROF, Inc. scholarship recipient Kimberly Young (right), with her cousin Jennifer (center),
and daughter Mollie at the LaCrosse Interstate Fair
I received a
WROF, Inc. scholarship in 1991, when I was selected as a county delegate to the
National 4-H Conference. My experience with 4-H has shown me what I need to do
to succeed and give the broad experience of education in health care and
agriculture. To this day, I still use this information when I help my parents on
the family farm or when I am providing first aid at the fair.
After I finished
showing cattle, I took emergency medical training and am now a current EMT-B,
and have been a volunteer in this field for the last 10 years (eight with the
Interstate Fair).
In 2011 I graduated
with honors from Herzing Online University with a degree in medical coding and billing.
I currently work for Elite Chiropractic and Massage in La Crosse. I am
also the mother to a beautiful daughter, Mollie, who is 4 years old.
Mollie won a medal at the La Crosse Interstate Fair last year, as part of the Little
Squirts program. Little Squirts is for children not old enough to be in 4-H,
but not afraid to show a little calf and talk into a microphone.
I am grateful for
the support of the WROF, Inc., and to the valuable life skills I learned in
4-H. I am working hard to pass those same values on to my daughter.
The Power of a Matching Gift
by Marcy Heim, WROF, Inc. executive director
The power of an education is well
documented. Today, some form of education beyond high school is a must for
success. The WROF, Inc. strives to bring opportunities
to students in a wide array of educational experiences -- one size does not fit
all. The impact of this investment is loud and clear, and documented in the
contributions our past recipients have made in their work and local
communities.
The board of directors is delighted to announce a new program! An anonymous donor has agreed to match the awards from new funds established that reach a minimum of $10,000. This means a single $10,000 gift would be matched, or gifts from many donors can be pooled together to generate the match. This matching support will be available for a limited time, depending on the
requests received.
I look forward to the chance to further explain this exciting opportunity. For more information, please contact me
at [email protected] or 608-772-6777.
Bright Futures is published six times a year on or around the third Wednesday of the month. Please send comments to [email protected].
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