Scholarships and Internships

Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM)
Foundation Scholarships and Internship Awards for SCSU Community Development Majors

SCSU’s Community Development Program has developed a successful partnership with the Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM) Foundation to provide scholarships and internship awards for deserving Community Development majors.  The partnership began in Fall 2004, and $30,000 has been contributed directly to Community Development students as we enter the 2006-2007 academic year.
                                  
Each year five $1000 scholarships will be awarded based on academic performance and commitment to Community Development outside of the classroom (i.e., conferences attended, relevant volunteer work in communities, professional memberships).  Core program faculty select the winners based on the competitive applications received.  The winners are invited to attend EDAM’s winter conference and receive their awards there.  The scholarship winners thus far include:

2004-2005
Crystal Foust (Lester Prairie)
Jodi Wunsch (Onalaska WI)
Roberto Tapiz (Monticello)
Garner Moffat (St. Cloud)
Leslie Chmielewski (Gilman)

2005-2006
Megan Wenker (Melrose)
Heidi Linz (Sauk Rapids)
Easterlina Moseti (Nairobi, Kenya)
Daniel Sexton (Clearwater)
John Angell (Coon Rapids)

Furthermore, four $2500 internship awards are provided by the EDAM Foundation to graduating Community Development seniors serving their required full-time internship.  Two of the internships are with the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED) in St. Paul and two are with otherwise unpaid internships in economic/downtown development in local communities.  Student winners are selected based on their applications and interviews with the agency/city.  Past winners include:

Fall 2004:  Trista Johnson (Brainerd) with Brainerd Housing & Redevelopment Authority

Spring 2005:  Roberto Tapiz (Monticello) with Wright County Economic Development Partnership

Spring 2005:  Roberta (Bobbi) Racek (Hibbing) with DEED

Summer 2005:  Jodi Wunsch (Onalaska WI) with DEED

Fall 2005:  Mike Elhard (Richfield) with DEED

Fall 2005:  Rachel Simone (Hastings) with Region 5 Development Commission in Staples

Spring 2006:  Megan Wenker (Melrose) with Maple Grove Community Development Department

Fall 2006:  Mai Yang (Minneapolis) with the city of St. Joseph

Fall 2006:  Jonathan Crowe (Grand Rapids) with DEED

The administration of this program requires considerable work and effort on the part of Community Development faculty, but the rewards in terms of financial assistance for and recognition of good students is worth the effort.  It also helps our program profile in Economic Development circles.  We are pleased to announce that the partnership will continue into 2006-2007.