Natalie Weidner received the Carol Ward Knox WROF Board Scholar Award. Having grown up in rural Wisconsin helping out on her grandparents' farm in Auburndale, WI, she plans to maintain her connection with rural Wisconsin post-graduation. Natalie is currently attending Ripon College as a Biology major on a pre-medicine
track with hopes to become a doctor one day, as a way to pay back all that has been done for her in her rural upbringing. Natalie says that going to school has been amazing so far; she enjoys all her classes and she is doing well in them. Natalie has learned that going to college takes a lot of organization and time management, skills she is slowly learning to do.
Swimming was a great passion of Natalie during high school and continues to be during college. While attending Portage High School, Natalie was a volunteer coach of the Portage Youth Swim Team, coaching a group of 50 swimmers between the ages of 6-17 years. It was this valuable experience that led
Natalie to consider pursuing a Doctorate of Medicine in Neurology. Working with many different children, some of them diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and seeing them try their hardest in succeeding as swimmers have inspired Natalie to learn more about how the brain works. It has also inspired Natalie to return to rural Wisconsin as a doctor to keep children growing up in rural Wisconsin on the right track for good health and well-being.
Natalie has joined the swim team at Ripon College and continues to enjoy competing at meets.
"This award has taken a huge financial burden off of me," says Natalie. With much gratitude to the
WROF, Inc., she says it has helped her gain the time she needs to focus her attention on learning.