197 Students Awarded Two-Year College Scholarships

The Frandsen Foundation and Frandsen Bank & Trust are proud to award more than 190 scholarships to graduating high school seniors across ten communities this spring for the eighth consecutive year.

The foundation and the bank are proud to invest in the next generation of talent, empowering students to build successful careers while helping to meet the growing demand for a skilled workforce in local communities.

The full-tuition scholarships are the legacy of Frandsen Bank Owner Dennis Frandsen. What started as an offer to the graduating class of Rush City High School in 2018, has grown to include Ada-Borup-West, Braham, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, Ely Memorial, Pine City, Rush City, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo, and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown in Minnesota, plus Frederic and Luck in Wisconsin.

“We are honored to partner with the Frandsen Foundation for this scholarship program,” says Chuck Mausbach, chief executive officer at Frandsen Bank. “The scholarship initiative is a fantastic opportunity for local students to build successful careers after graduation.”

To date, 738 students have accepted the offer, which includes full tuition for two years plus a $1,000 stipend for books and tools. To qualify for the scholarship, a student needs a diploma from one of the foundation’s designated high schools and a commitment to attend an approved technical or community college. Homeschooled students living in eligible school districts are also encouraged to apply.

“We don’t ask for qualifications,” says Dennis Frandsen, owner of Frandsen Bank. “A student could be wonderful at fixing cars or taking care of sick people, for example, but might not be good at academics. Most of those students never get the traditional scholarships. I decided they ought to have an option of going to trade school and learn a trade they will excel at.”