LSSU Scholarship Listings

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Rosa L. Grout Scholarship Fund

grout-rosaA founder of the Chippewa County Employees Credit Union and a longtime Sault High School math teacher, Rosa Grout, enlightened more than 2,000 students on the beauty and precision of math. “I still hear from many of them who thank me for the structure and discipline that geometry instilled into their lives,” she recalled shortly before her death in 2004 at the age of 95. Grout’s spirit of education carries on in the form of a math, science and technical studies scholarship endowment she created in 1992. The student recipient is a major in engineering technology, mathematics, or computer science. Selection of the award is based upon high school GPA, ACT score and high school class rank.

Ross N. Roe Scholarship

rroeThis scholarship was established by Ross Roe, a longtime Sault Ste. Marie businessman who originated an Indianapolis 500-style snowmobile race in 1969 on a contained one-mile course adjacent to Lake Superior State University. The race, known as the International 500, continues to be held annually on the first Saturday in February. The scholarship is awarded to a student with a minimum 2.5 GPA who is a I-500 Snowmobile Race volunteer during the academic year.

Russell and Marquetta Bruce Scholarship

marquetta-and-russell-bruceThis scholarship honors Dr. Russell D. Bruce (1931-2012), the first department head of recreational disciplines at LSSU. It is awarded to a Recreation or Exercise Science major at the end of their junior year and based on academic achievement, leadership qualities and volunteer service. Dr. Bruce was a dedicated successful educator, football coach, avid runner, and active participant in the sport of orienteering. Marquetta, his wife of 59 years, was a teacher/consultant in learning disabilities with the Marquette and Sault Area Public Schools and an accomplished organist.

Ruth Norvell Endowment Fund

rnorvellRuth Norvell was a great friend and supporter of Lake Superior State University. She was a volunteer and contributor to more than a dozen local organizations, personal friend and advisor to a generation of Laker hockey players. She had a generous heart and tremendous Italian pride. Employed at Lake State from 1980 until her retirement in 1995, Ruth continued to give back to LSSU and to her community with her financial support and of her time. Prior to her death in 2002, Ruth and her husband, Henry established this endowment to benefit a hockey walk-on or partially funded student-athlete who has been accepted as a member of the LSSU Laker hockey team.

Sam Dubow Memorial Scholarship

dubow-samSam Dubow came to the United States as a Russian orphan. He devoted his life to education serving the children of the region as a coach, teacher, and administrator. From 1964-1979, Sam was the principal of Sault Area High School. During his tenure as principal, he was instrumental in the development of the vocational education and alternative education programs. He also was involved in the construction of the present high school building. His outstanding service to his community, to coaching, and to his profession led to his induction into the Michigan Education Hall of Fame and to the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. The successful candidate is a Sault Area High School graduate who exemplifies character and integrity through leadership skills, generosity, school involvement, respectful of faculty and classmates, and dedication to their community.

Sam M. Cohodas Scholarship

cohodas-samSam Cohodas was a longtime Upper Peninsula businessman, philanthropist and the 1987 recipient of LSSU’s Distinguished Citizen Award. Sam was a World War I veteran and a charter Rotary Club member. He served as the Board Chairman of the Michigan Financial Corporation, which he organized and directed until 1986, and at the age of 92 was still the chairman of its nine subsidiary banks. His philanthropy serviced many high schools and colleges in the Upper Peninsula including the LSSU scholarship that he established in 1987. Successful candidates must be a graduate of a Michigan Upper Peninsula high school with selection based on GPA, academic excellence and financial need.

Sault / Loretto High School Scholarship Fund

soo-lorettoEstablished in 1988 by a committee of Sault High and Loretto High graduates, this scholarship provides financial awards to Sault High graduates majoring in any course of study at LSSU. Gifts are from Sault High and Loretto High alumni and people of the local community. An aggregate donation of $250 entitles the donor to place a name on the Sault/Loretto High Wall of Honor plaque located in the lobby of the Walker Cisler Student and Conference Center. Selection is based on academic excellence.

Sault Ste. Marie Business and Professional Women’s Scholarship

sealThis scholarship was established in 1976 to benefit to those who have returned to college after at least a two-year interruption and has earned a minimum 3.0 GPA. Past president, Professor Emeritus Edeltraute Vialpando stated that this scholarship is “a memorial to members of the Club who have made such significant contributions toward the betterment of their community during their lifetimes. The membership believes that in their memory could best be honored by assisting a deserving student in obtaining a quality education at LSSU and continuing the work to which the Club members have devoted so much of their time, expertise and talent.

SMO Foundation Endowed Scholarship

smotomcyekThis scholarship was established by the Stanley Tomcyek family (SMO – Stanley, Mabel & Orin), long-time residents of Sault Ste. Marie. It is awarded to LSSU sophomores majoring in pre-medicine or pre-pharmacy with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Soo Cooperative Company Community Scholarship

LSSU SealThis endowment was established by the Soo Cooperative Company Board of Directors.  The company has a storied history in Sault Ste. Marie starting with its incorporation in 1913. Founded by a group of Sault residents, including a number of employees from the Northwest Leather Company, (known as “The Tannery”), who were concerned with the high cost of groceries and supplies; the Soo Co-Operative Company became one of the dominant grocery markets in the city. After 99 years of serving the community, the doors closed for the final time in 2012. Successful candidates must be an incoming freshman majoring in any course of study who is a graduate of a Chippewa County High School with a minimum 2.5 GPA.

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Athletics

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Arts & Letters

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Biological Sciences

Jim Smith and Tom Wiles Science Scholarship

LSSU SealJim Smith and Tom Wiles are both graduates of Bedford High School (1972) and classmates at Lake Superior State College. Upon their retirement, they returned to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. “Our experiences as students at Lake Superior State College in the 1970s to our present stage of life, have been the foundation for our desire to fund an award for an incoming freshman and a science scholarship to a current student. They have issued their recipients a challenge: To apply all the knowledge that you have/will learn for the benefit of generations present and future.

The science scholarship is given to a student of sophomore status with a minimum 3.0 GPA who is seeking a career path as a scientist. The hope of the future lies not in curbing the influence of human occupancy – it is already too late for that – but in creating a better understanding of the extent of that influence and a new ethic for its governance. ― Aldo Leopold, Game Management

Joseph and Bonnie Halvorsen Memorial Scholarship

Joseph and Bonnie HalvorsenThe Joseph and Bonnie Halvorsen Memorial Endowment was established by the Halvorsen’s five children to honor their parents and to provide financial assistance to a sophomore student pursuing a career as a park ranger for the State of Michigan or National Park Service. Joseph and Bonnie were married in 1952 shortly after Halvorsen began his career with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Between 1963 and 1977, Halvorsen managed F. J. McLain State Park in Hancock, Grand Haven State Park, Brimley State Park, and Tahquamenon Falls State Park until his retirement in 1991. Despite all these accomplishments, Halvorsen always felt his advancement was curtailed because he lacked a college degree. He spent the last years of his career training people who would go on to surpass him, always willing to assist and provide advice because of his love and commitment for the job.

Marian and Raymond Chelberg Outstanding Science/Athlete Scholarship Fund

Marian and Raymond ChelbergProfessor Emeritus Raymond Chelberg and his wife Marian were one of the original faculty families at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology, Sault Branch in 1946. From that time until he retired in 1970, Professor Chelberg was chair of the Chemistry Department. He was a dedicated teacher for more than 44 years and was remembered for his personal, caring and effective approach to teaching. Marian taught music appreciation at Lake State and was one of the founders of the Musicale. She was choir director at Central United Methodist Church and was one of the first women invited to join the Rotary Club. Together, Raymond and Marian significantly enhanced the scientific, athletic and cultural aspects of Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding community. The Chelberg scholarship is awarded to a natural science major, with a minimum 3.0 GPA, who demonstrates leadership abilities and contributes significantly to the success of the athletic team on which he or she is a letter-winner.

Mary Lubs and Viggo Thomsen Endowed Scholarship

Mary Lubs & Viggo ThomsenThis named endowment was established by Mary Lubs Thomsen to honor her late husband, Viggo. Both were long-time residents of Sault Ste. Marie and former employees of LSSU. Mary was director of Public Relations and Viggo served for 27 years as a faculty member of the Biology Department. The scholarship provides financial assistance to LSSU students majoring in the biological sciences, pre-pharmacy, pre-medical and/or pre-dental programs.

Michael Della-Moretta Memorial Scholarship

Michael Della-MorettaThis scholarship honors Michael Della-Moretta, a 1977 alumnus and Navy pilot killed in 1981 while serving aboard the USS Independence off the coast of Iran. He once said the happiest years of his life were at Lake Superior State University. The award is given to an Eastern U.P. resident with an interest in biological science or lab science major (including math and computer science) who has achieved academic excellence.

Business

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Chemistry

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Criminal Justice

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Education

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Engineering & Technology

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English & Communication

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Fine Arts

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Fire Science

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Fisheries & Wildlife

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Geology & Physical Sciences

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Health Sciences

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History

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Kinesiology

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Math & Computer Science

Faculty of Mathematics & Computer Science Scholarship

sealThis scholarship was created in 2006 by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science faculty as a tool to retain highly qualified students at LSSU. Successful recipients must be a major in mathematics or computer science or pursuing a degree in math education with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Franklin F. and Wanda L. Otis Award

franklin-wanda-otisThis endowed scholarship was established to honor one of the charter faculty of Sault Branch of Michigan College of Mining and Technology. Franklin spent 30 years (1948-1978) as a mathematics professor and was the University’s first faculty athletic representative, serving 12 years during the early development of the Laker athletic program. He was instrumental in the development of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). In 1999, Franklin was posthumously inducted to the LSSU Athletic Hall of Fame for his invaluable contributions to the Laker athletic program. Wanda was a homemaker who was very active in her church, the LSSU Faculty Wives’ organization, and a strong supporter of the University and of her husband’s participation in a wide range of academic and athletic interests. The recipient must be a sophomore mathematics or computer science major with a minimum 3.0 GPA in their major courses.

Galen H. Harrison Mathematics and Computer Science Scholarship

sealThis scholarship was established in 2001 by Galen Harrison (1938-2022) to provide financial assistance to math and computer science majors. Harrison was a long-time LSSU Professor of Mathematics who taught at Lake State from 1963 until his retirement in 1996. Mr. Harrison believed in the importance of higher education and understood that many students need financial support while working towards their educational and career goals.

Galen H. Harrison Pickford Scholarship

sealThis endowed scholarship was established by Galen H. Harrison (1938-2022), a graduate of Pickford High School and LSSU Professor of Mathematics (1963-1996). Mr. Harrison believed in the importance of higher education and understood that many students need financial support while working towards their educational and career goals. Successful candidates must be an incoming freshman who is a Pickford High School graduate with a minimum 3.0 GPA majoring in biology, chemistry, geology, nursing, mathematics, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, environmental chemistry, or environmental science.

Gerald Samson Mathematics Scholarship

samsonThis endowed scholarship was established by LSSU professor emeritus Gerald Samson (1928-2022). During his career at LSSU, Professor Samson received the LSSU Distinguished Teacher award in 1974 and Emeritus Status in 1990. He could recite a plethora of poems he learned in grade school, remember all the words to the songs he loved from the 30s and 40s (anything after 1950 wasn’t music), solve complex math equations just for fun, read books, books, and more books from the classics, to science, to mysteries and was known as a crossword puzzle aficionado. He loved the phrase “look it up” and spent much time doing just that about any topic that interested him. Selection is based on the recommendation of the LSSU mathematics and computer science faculty.

Michael Della-Moretta Memorial Scholarship

Michael Della-MorettaThis scholarship honors Michael Della-Moretta, a 1977 alumnus and Navy pilot killed in 1981 while serving aboard the USS Independence off the coast of Iran. He once said the happiest years of his life were at Lake Superior State University. The award is given to an Eastern U.P. resident with an interest in biological science or lab science major (including math and computer science) who has achieved academic excellence.

Peter & Georgia Gianakura Endowment

Peter & Georgia GianakuraThis endowment was established by Catherine Gianakura Rogg to honor her parents, Peter and Georgia. At the time of her high school graduation, Georgia was planning to attend Michigan State University to become a mathematics teacher until her father became ill. She made the choice to care for her father and attend to the needs of her family. Longing for a career as a photojournalist, Peter was unable to pursue his education due to his commitment to his father’s business, The American Café, and to his family. In honor of her parents who sacrificed their education and career dreams for the care and well being of their families, Catherine created two scholarships to be granted annually to a student who is seeking a career in Journalism and to a student who is pursuing a degree in Education with a major in Mathematics.

Rosa L. Grout Scholarship Fund

grout-rosaA founder of the Chippewa County Employees Credit Union and a longtime Sault High School math teacher, Rosa Grout, enlightened more than 2,000 students on the beauty and precision of math. “I still hear from many of them who thank me for the structure and discipline that geometry instilled into their lives,” she recalled shortly before her death in 2004 at the age of 95. Grout’s spirit of education carries on in the form of a math, science and technical studies scholarship endowment she created in 1992. The student recipient is a major in engineering technology, mathematics, or computer science. Selection of the award is based upon high school GPA, ACT score and high school class rank.

William R. Gregory Scholarship

William R. GregoryThis scholarship was established to honor William Gregory, former president of Edison Sault Electric Company. He served as a member of the LSSU Board of Trustees, the LSSU Foundation Board of Directors, and received LSSU’s Distinguished Citizen Award in 1986.  LSSU President Robert Arbuckle once stated, “Bill Gregory has actively supported the University with his talent and treasure for over 25 years. No one in this region is more devoted to Lake State.” Successful candidates must be a junior majoring in engineering, mathematics, business, biology or fisheries and wildlife management with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Natural Resources Technology

Christopher Reinke Endowment Award

reinke-christopherThis endowment was established by family and friends in memory of Chris Reinke, a natural resources technology (NRT) student, 1986-88. Chris was known as a free-spirited, independent young man who had a great love for the outdoors. It was because of his love for the woods and water that he chose the natural resources program at LSSU. His untimely death in 1988 left an indelible mark on Lake State students and to all who knew him. One of his friends, Cindy (Nocerini) Dingell, commented that Chris lived by the old phrase, “live each day like it was your first and every minute like it was your last.” This award assists a sophomore NRT student with a minimum 2.0 GPA who has a sincere dedication to the NRT field. Selection is based on the recommendation of the NRT faculty.

Nursing

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Political Science

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Psychology

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Veterans

Veterans Assistance Fund

Tom BrownThe Vietnam Veterans of America with local representative, Tom Brown, established the LSSU Veterans Assistance Fund. This fund was created to provide emergency fund assistance to any Veterans attending LSSU.

Veteran is defined per FAFSA guidelines as: Have engaged in active duty (including basic training) in the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard), or are a National Guard or Reserve enlistee who was called to active duty for other than state or training purposes, or were a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies, and were released under a condition other than dishonorable.