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This year we awarded nineteen $3,000 and one $1500 scholarships for a total of $58,500 to students attending Oregon State University. Thank you to all of the Thrift Shop Workers (and Consigners) whose efforts made this possible!
Ten scholarships were awarded to Benton County high school students who will attend Oregon State University as freshmen in the fall.
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Quentin Beers received the Lorraine Crowell Memorial Scholarship. Quentin will be pursuing a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a goal of becoming an oncologist. He has been active in Heart of the Valley Children’s Choir for ten years. This scholarship honors Lorraine Crowell, who loaned money at generous repayment terms in 1969 to buy the (Thrift Shopem>) building. |
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Dylan Cox received the Dorothy Hopkins Memorial Scholarship. Dylan has been involved in multiple music groups throughout high school. His primary academic goal is to “learn” which he translates into acquiring skills and experiences that are useful in the future likely thru some aspect of Engineering. This scholarship honors Dorothy Hopkins, who gave a major donation over the period of 2000-2004. |
| Elizabeth Grassel received the Leonora Kerr Memorial Scholarship. Elizabeth describes herself as an “overachiever” who needs a challenge to give her focus and direction. Her references describe her as hardworking, analytical and insightful. This scholarship honors Lenora Kerr, who led the founding of the Folk Club in 1908, and is given to an outstanding freshman woman. | |
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Matthew Gray earned the Betty Slegel Memorial Scholarship. Matthew will enter OSU with a major in Bio-Health Sciences moving toward a Pre-Dental degree. He has been active throughout high school in orchestra and soccer. This scholarship honors Betty Slegel, who founded the OSU Folk Club Thrift Shop in 1949 for the purpose of earning funds for Good Samaritan Hospital. |
| Tyler Gustafson will pursue a degree in Business Administration while also working to earn a real estate brokerage license thru Linn Benton Degree Partnership Program. He earned his Private Pilots License while in high school. | |
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Evan McDaniel received the Robert and Jackie Cain Memorial Scholarship. Evan is considering multiple options within OSU’s Computer Science Program. He was active in his high school Robotics program along with Track and Field and Cross Country. His high school senior project led him to manage a website for Philomath Performing Arts Benefit Fund. This scholarship honors Robert & Jackie Cain, who set up a scholarship at the OSU Foundation to be awarded by the Thrift Shop. |
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Jenna McFadden will major in Engineering. Jenna loves puzzles and says that she is “drawn to a mystery that challenges my brain”. She is still weighing her academic options within Engineering to see what best fits. |
| Devindra Premsingh received the Joan and Roger Ryan Honorarium Scholarship. Devin will study Manufacturing Engineering and likely incorporate Aerospace Engineering. He credits his academic focus and motivation to his family’s strong value for education. This scholarship honors Joan and Roger Ryan, long time unpaid managers of the Thrift Shop from 1979–2014. | |
| Elijah Shaw will focus on Mechanical Engineering this fall. He is looking long term for a future position that will allow him to put his love of creating and building/planning skills to practical use. His high school experiences with robotics have greatly influenced his direction. | |
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Viola Stark plans to pursue a double major with Mechanical Engineering and Music. Her desire to become an engineer is driven by the idea of seeing projects come to life that will help humanity. |
Five scholarships each were awarded to students who will be in their second year at OSU.
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Kenneth Kang received the Betty McCarty Memorial Scholarship. Kenneth is a double major in Applied Computer Science with a focus on Data Science and Business Analysis and is planning a minor in Statistics. He is a Computer Science staff member in “OPEns” Lab and served as an ASOSU Representative this past year. |
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Hailey Matthews received the Mary Ann Matzke Honorary Scholarship. Hailey is pursuing a BioHealth Sciences major as an Honors Scholar. She joined the Bioethics Club, started her thesis preparation, spent time volunteering for Meals on Wheels and served as a note-taker through Disability Associated Services. Her long-term goal continues to be medical school. This scholarship is given in honor of Mary Ann Matzke, who served as 2019–2020 Thrift Shop Chair. |
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Gina Moomaw participated in URSA by working with a faculty member on an undergraduate research project focusing on negative impacts of child poverty and ways to promote change. Through this experience she found a passion for work that will enable her to serve vulnerable populations. As a Human Development Family Services major she is moving toward becoming a social worker. |
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Quincey Pittman received the LaRea Johnston Memorial Scholarship. Quincey identifies her focus in Horticulture as having an interest in forming positive, healthy relationships between various countries via farming and agriculture production partnerships. As a Blueberry Research Assistant she is engaged in the possibility of year-round production via alternating seasons within the United States and other countries, such as Chile which could in the long run influence sustainability of both human life and the environment. |
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Seth Staten’s major in the Ocean Science option within Earth Science has led him to becoming a part of the Ocean 11 Marine Science Club. This has given him a behind-the-scene tour of the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the Hatfield Marine Science Center and the NOAA research vessel docked in Newport. He is now looking to take on leadership roles within this major. |
Five scholarships went to non-traditional full time women students from Benton County who also will attend OSU.
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Vanessa Heilmann received the Dorothy Weswig Memorial Scholarship. Vanessa is returning to school after a long break with a belief “that you can find a career you love, and truly help make a difference for this beautiful planet.” She is majoring in Natural Resources with a minor in Botany. Her expected graduation date is Winter/Spring 2021. This scholarship is given in honor of Dorothy Weswig, who served as chair of the Donation Committee from 1959–1998 which initiated the financing of scholarships. |
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Amity Hoffman received the Jane Loomis Memorial Scholarship. Amity returned to school to pursue a degree in Business Administration - Accounting. Her expected graduation date is June 2021 after which she plans to sit for the CPA exam. She currently goes to school full-time and works two jobs. She wants “to provide the best life for her son and give back to those who have supported her tremendously along her journey.” This scholarship is given in honor of Jane Loomis, who made a major donation from her estate in 2007. This was the basis for funding the OSU Folk Club Thrift Shop Foundation. |
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Michelle Jordan received the Becky Strandberg Honorary Scholarship. Michelle is a working mom and a full-time student majoring in Geology after a break in her education. In addition to her involvement at her son’s school, she is part of a research group working to understand volcanic hazards from the Cascade volcanoes around Bend, Oregon. Michelle also earned this scholarship in 2019. This scholarship is given in honor of Becky Strandberg, who served as the 2019–2020 OSU Folk Club President |
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Svitlana Klipfel is a Philosophy major with a minor in Sociology. Svitlana’s specific academic interest is Disability Studies. She has worked as a job coach at Cornerstone Associates where she promotes inclusivity toward treating individuals with disabilities with the same respect as anyone without a disability. Her second area of interest is the application of sociological research to current higher education policy. Svitlana’s goal is to remain in academia where she believes she can help impact others in meaningful ways. |
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Tiffany Spendiff returned to higher education after a 13-year break. The Hatfield Marine Science Center drew Tiffany to Oregon State where she is majoring in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry. Her goal is to earn an MS in Microbiology by 2024 leading her toward a career as a shellfish pathologist for an aquatic animal health laboratory. |