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UNI Holds Reception to Recognize Bright Scholars

UNI Holds Reception to Recognize Bright Scholars

On November 30, 2017, the University of Northern Iowa held its annual dinner reception in the Slife Ballroom/Commons to honor the school’s Bright Scholars. New recipients were presented with their Bright Scholars of Iowa medallion and a Bright Story book. The scholars recognized at the event included:

2017

Alek Boeding
Lauryn Brewelow
Bobbie Hilmer
Hailey Huggins
Dalton Tonne

2016

Rasmira Bajramovic
Alexandria Bibbs
Amanda Dedrick
Kourtney Ende-Braun
Timothy Frandsen
Tanner Moran
Natalie Neuzil
Sean Riley
Ela Rizvanovic
Cole Schreiber
Trevor Wangsness
Kade Williams

2015

Leziga Barikor
Deon Cleveland
Jesssica Ewart
Thao Luong
Toby Mason
Dalena Nguyen
Natasha Peterson
Charles Terry
Holly Von Ehwegan
Athena Walton
Hunter Washburn

2014

Anthony Beyerink

Dana Counsell
Emily Glawe
Dianna Huisman
Omar Martinez
Bobbi McGinnis
Coved Oswald
Shelby Yates
Zachary Youmans

The event included remarks by:

Nicole Lehman – Assistant Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships
Mark Nook – UNI President
Hunter Washburn – 2015 Bright Scholar Recipient
Tom Press – Board Member, Bright Foundation
Meredith Dohmen – Director of Scholarships, Bright Foundation

“This is a great community of scholarship recipients to be part of. The scholarship has improved my life in so many ways – not only by allowing me to graduate debt-free in just eight semesters, but also by providing a support system and a network of other Bright Scholars.”

“As I finish my sophomore year, I am grateful that I have received the Bright Scholarship to help me achieve my goals. My grades have been good and I am proud that I’ve been making Dean’s List. I attended the Engineering job fair to target companies for a summer internship. After being offered two, I chose Nutra Flo, a liquid fertilizer manufacturer in South Dakota. I’m excited to see what I will learn and how much I know out in the real world of Mechanical Engineering. Thank you again for awarding me the Bright Scholarship. Thanks to the Bright Foundation, I have been able to attend ISU without the burden of deep financial indebtedness. It has allowed me to experience ISU but most importantly, I have been able to study in order to do well in my classes. It is because of the Brights — they had a vision to help young people in Iowa achieve higher education. I am excited to be a part of that vision.”

“I am beyond grateful for the opportunities this scholarship has opened up for me. Many doors closed right in front of me, and the Bright Foundation opened up a door of hope for my future. I sometimes think I am dreaming and soon realize this is really happening. I am the first one in my family to attend a University. I can not put into words how much of a blessing this has been not only for me but for my family! I will forever be thankful.”

“I’m a student at DMACC and this award is extremely helpful and appreciated. All this past semester, I’ve been working and going to school while barely making it by. This award will give me the chance to focus on school more. I am so honored to receive it and I am so thankful there are people like you to help college students, like myself, out. I plan on finishing up school and becoming an elementary teacher. The scholarship will help me get one step closer to that goal!”

“With each passing semester I become even more thankful for this scholarship. My college experience has been phenomenal and this scholarship deserves all the credit. You have allowed to me the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy receiving my education at the University of Iowa. I am thankful to be a Bright Scholar of Iowa. Thank you so much for the college experience you have let me have through this scholarship.”

“I cannot even begin to properly thank or even put into words how much this foundation has helped put me on an amazing path to reach and accomplish my dreams. Ever since I was seven years old, I have wanted to become a doctor. I wanted to be able to help people, to make sick people better, to be a healer, and to learn and grow to the fullest of my abilities. Because of the Bright scholarship, these dreams and goals are closer within reach. I am achieving success in ways I never thought were possible. My dreams may have been to help others and learn as much as I possibly can, but this foundation has helped me and given me the chance to do the things I love, to push myself, learn, and experience the joy of hard work and success. This scholarship inspired me to help others as well. Currently, I am pursuing a research opportunity with Dr. Mario Ascoli, Carver College of Medicine, to help with work on finding cures for infertility. I am also in the beginning stages of recruitment for alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority! A lot of things have been going on for me, but none of this would be possible without the Bright Foundation. This foundation gave me the blessing of not having to be stressed, financial security, the ability to reach my goals, but most importantly, faith in myself to do what I love best, so again, thank you.”