NDU Foundation Awards $85,000 in Scholarships and Grants

The 2026 ND United Foundation Scholarship & Grant Awardees

Congratulations to this year’s recipients:

Regan Aasand, of Halstad, Minn., is the recipient of a Ron & Ann Anstrom Scholarship and a Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship for her graduate English education degree at Valley City State University.

Alette Adrian, of Binford, received a Thomas & Garnet Wurst Scholarship.

Carter Adrian, of Binford, received a Thomas & Garnet Wurst Scholarship.

Hannah Auka, of Mylo, is the recipient of a Mary Cripps Special Education Scholarship and a Bill Oban Special Education Scholarship for her undergraduate degree in special education from Minot State University.

Aiza Bacalso, an educator in Solen, received a Dr. Joanne Pearson Fine Arts Grant for supplies for a photography class.

Donyea Birdine, of Mandan, an undergraduate communication sciences and disorders major at the University of Mary, received an NDU Foundation Ethnic Minority Scholarship.

Nikki Bristow, of Williston, received an NDU Member/Dependent Scholarship for her biochemistry & molecular biology and comprehensive science education degrees at North Dakota State University.

Abigail Delorme, of St. John, an undergraduate psychology major at Valley City State University, received an NDU Foundation Ethnic Minority Scholarship.

Addyson Doane, of Ashley, received a Harris & Arlyce Widmer Family Business Education Scholarship for FBLA-related activities.

Karady Evans, of New England, an undergraduate elementary education major at Black Hills State University, received an NDU Education Scholarship. 

Braeton Erhardt, of Center, received a Ron & Ann Anstrom Scholarship for her Master of Math Education with a concentration in Teaching & Technology degree at Valley City State University.

McKenna Ernst, of Dickinson, received an NDU Member/Dependent Scholarship and a Harris & Arlyce Widmer Family Business Education Scholarship for her business marketing degree at North Dakota State University.

Myah Fitzsimonds, of West Fargo, received a Cindy & Gary Rath Education Scholarship for her undergraduate secondary science education degree at Mayville State University.

Olivia Fossen, of Lakota, an undergraduate elementary education major at the University of North Dakota, received an NDU Foundation Ethnic Minority Scholarship.

Daniel Franco, of Minot, has been awarded a Harris & Arlyce Widmer Family Business Education Scholarship for FBLA-related activities.

Alliana Freund, of Cando, an undergraduate education major at Valley City State University, received an NDU Education Scholarship. 

Faith Frisch, of Grand Forks, received a Cindy & Gary Rath Education Scholarship for her undergraduate early childhood education degree at Mayville State University.

Bennett Graff, of Mandan, received an NDU Member/Dependent Scholarship for his engineering degree at the University of Alabama.

Karsyn Halvorson, of Glenfield, received a Thomas & Garnet Wurst Scholarship.

Jennifer Hanson, of Mandan, received a Harris & Arlyce Widmer Family Business Education Scholarship for her undergraduate marketing degree at North Dakota State University.

Carter Hass, of Valley City, received a Betty Lu Lenthe Speech Education Grant to attend the 2026 National Speech and Debate Tournament. 

Gabrielle Helfrich, of West Fargo, received a Halstenson Family Music Scholarship and a Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship for her graduate music education degree at American Band College. 

Heather Hintz, a middle school educator in Bismarck, received an NDU Workplace Innovation Grant for decorations and furniture for her team area.

Isaac Homuth, of West Fargo, received a Halstenson Family Music Scholarship and a Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship for his graduate Instrumental music education/conducting (Band) degree at American Band College. 

Krista Hulderman, of West Fargo, received a Betty Lu Lenthe Speech Education Grant for students from Sheyenne High School to attend the 2026 National Speech and Debate Tournament. 

Cassidy Johnson, of Ray, received a Ted Meckle Memorial Scholarship.

Kelsey Johnson, of Kensal, received a Thomas & Garnet Wurst Scholarship.

Stefanie Keidel, of Mandan, received a Mary Cripps Special Education Scholarship, a Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship, and a Bill Oban Special Education Scholarship for her graduate degree in special education from Minot State University.

Malory Kemp, of Cavalier, received a NDU Member/Dependent Scholarship for her civil engineering degree at South Dakota State University.

Jessica Kesler, of Minot, received a Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship for her master’s degree in education in curriculum and instruction from the University of Jamestown.

Jozie Kiecker, of Edgeley, an undergraduate elementary education & special education major at Northern State University, received a Mary Cripps Special Education Scholarship, an NDU Education Scholarship and a Bill Oban Special Education Scholarship. 

Emily Kittelson, of Hillsboro, received a Robert & Janet Lorch Family Education Scholarship.

Olivia Klaman, of West Fargo, received an NDU Member/Dependent Scholarship for her Bachelor of Science in nursing at the University of North Dakota.

Deseraye Kukowski, of Newburg, received a Joseph A. Westby Leadership Award for her master’s degree in educational leadership at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Heidi Livingston, of LaMoure, received a Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship for her master’s degree in education teaching and technology mathematics education from Valley City State University.

Tyson Leshuk, of Hillsboro, received a Robert & Janet Lorch Family Education Scholarship.

Summer Meyer, of Cedar River Township, an undergraduate elementary education major at Bismarck State College, received an NDU Education Scholarship. 

Annie Michels, of Dickinson, received a Bill Oban Special Education Scholarship for her graduate degree in special education from Valley City State University.

Meagan Monreal, of Northwood, received a Betty Lu Lenthe Speech Education Grant to purchase appropriate speeches, scripts and performance materials for the Hatton-Northwood speech team.

Signe Nagle, of Fargo, received an NDU Member/Dependent Scholarship for her political science and history degree at Columbia University.

Drake Nostrum, of Fargo, received an NDU Member/Dependent Scholarship and a Harris & Arlyce Widmer Family Business Education Scholarship for his accounting degree at North Dakota State University.

Taylor Peterson, of Bismarck, is the recipient of a Bill Oban Special Education Scholarship for her undergraduate degree in special education from the University of Mary.

Hannah Pilon, of Fargo, received a Cindy & Gary Rath Education Scholarship for her undergraduate education degree at Mayville State University.

Avery Prokop, of Bismarck, an undergraduate school psychology major at North Dakota State University, received an NDU Education Scholarship. 

Hannah Sagvold, an educator in Lisbon, received an NDU Workplace Innovation Grant for The Bronco Barn, a school-based enterprise that provides hands-on experience for high school students in retail operations, customer service and entrepreneurship.

Avery St. Germaine, of Rolla, an undergraduate communication sciences and disorders major at the University of North Dakota, received an NDU Foundation Ethnic Minority Scholarship.

Brenda Seehafer, of Rolla, received a Howard Loftesnes Memorial Education Scholarship for her reading literary specialist coursework. 

Allison Slominski, of Grand Forks, received a Howard Loftesnes Memorial Education Scholarship for her Reading Education and Instructional Coaching Certificate from the University of North Dakota. 

Payton Sorum, of McHenry, received a Thomas & Garnet Wurst Scholarship.

Landon Sundeen, of Lakota, received a Harris & Arlyce Widmer Family Business Education Scholarship for his undergraduate finance degree at the University of North Dakota.

Brayden Sutherland, of Enderlin, received an NDU Education Scholarship for his undergraduate degree in elementary education from the University of Jamestown.

Megan Swenson, of Minot, an undergraduate business education major at Minot State University, received an NDU Education Scholarship. 

Brennin Thuesen, of Ray, received a Ted Meckle Memorial Scholarship.

Cooper Timm, of Kensal, received a Thomas & Garnet Wurst Scholarship.

Greg Vettel, of Minot, received a Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship for his visual arts MFA from the University of North Dakota.

Jameson Wald, of Linton, received a Harris & Arlyce Widmer Family Business Education Scholarship for FBLA-related activities.

Emma Welch, of Bowman, an undergraduate elementary education major at Dickinson State University, received a Fern Pokorny Education Scholarship and a Les Snavely Memorial Education Scholarship.

Julianna Wolff, of Wishek, received a Halstenson Family Music Scholarship and a Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship for her graduate elementary music degree at North Dakota State University. 

Rikky Wyatt, of Gladstone, an undergraduate elementary education major at Dickinson State University, received an NDU Education Scholarship, a Fern Pokorny Education Scholarship, and a Les Snavely Memorial Education Scholarship. 

Gerilynn Yazzie, of Bismarck, received an NDU Education Scholarship for her undergraduate degree in elementary education from United Tribes Technical College.

For more information about North Dakota United Foundation’s scholarships and grants, including requirements, due dates and how to apply, please visit www.ndunited.org.