University of Nebraska - Kearney (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
LINCOLN — EducationQuest Foundation has awarded 25 Nebraskans $159,000 in Reaching Your Potential Scholarship funds.
The Reaching Your Potential Scholarship Program provides renewable scholarships to low-income Nebraska students who face obstacles to college. Recipients who attend a two-year college receive $3,300 annually, and those who attend a four-year college receive $6,800 annually. Applicants are referred by community agencies, colleges, and select high schools across the state.
Since the program began in 2000, EducationQuest has awarded more than $9.1 million in scholarships to 696 Nebraskans. Of these, 81 percent are either enrolled in college or have graduated.
Schuyler native Kathryn Tzunux, who attends the University of Nebraska at Kearney, was named this year’s Tammi J. Preston Scholar, an award honoring EducationQuest’s former director of Outreach Services. The recognition honors the top-qualifying Reaching Your Potential recipient in each scholarship cycle.
“We are inspired by the resilience of our Reaching Your Potential Scholars and excited to support them on their journey to earning a college degree,” Vice President of Grants and Scholarships Eric Drumheller said. “These students have faced significant obstacles – whether caregiving for family members, managing single parenthood, overcoming challenging environments, or navigating immigration and language barriers. Their determination to pursue higher education is commendable.”
Scholarship recipients are listed below alphabetically by hometown, along with the college they attend.
- Amelia: Lillian Hoerle, Northeast Community College
- Bellevue: Katrina Mausbach, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Chadron: Nephertiti McMann, Chadron State College
- Fairbury: Makena Schramm, Midland University
- Grant: Daniel Hampton, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Kearney: Alicia Steinwart, University of Nebraska at Kearney
- LaVista: Kidist Negus, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Lincoln: Feryal Akpo-Idrissou, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Amna Salman, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bayan Sheruza, Nebraska Wesleyan University Tristin Skelton, Concordia University - Omaha: Maisa Ahmed, Nebraska Methodist College
John Diyali, University of Nebraska at Omaha Nye Htway, University of Nebraska at Omaha Reyna Jimenez-Uribe, College of Saint Mary Miles Johnson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Sher Ku, University of Nebraska at Omaha Monserrat Medina Hernandez, University of Nebraska at Omaha Alejandra Rodriguez Ruiz, Creighton University Dah Say, University of Nebraska at Omaha Kaiidra Thawne, Metro Community College More There, University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Schuyler: Jenny Valora Espinoza, Nebraska Methodist College
Kathryn Tzunux, University of Nebraska at Kearney - Yutan: Lucas Petersen, Metro Community College
