Erwin F. Bachler Memorial Scholarship

Current Recipient: Zachary Zangl

Major: Math Education
Hometown: Oshkosh, WI
Activities: I play football for the WSU Football Team and I am a member of the WSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Future Plans: Be a high school math teacher and football coach.
What do you like best about your major: The work can be challenging, but it is also very rewarding.
What do you like best about being a WSU student: The people at WSU are wonderful and kind.
Interesting Fact: I can do the splits.

Benchmark Electronics Scholarship

Benchmark Electronics, Inc. is a global leader in Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS). Benchmark Winona began operations as EMD Associates, Inc. in 1974, an electrical and mechanical design engineering firm.

The Winona division grew into a full-service Electronics Manufacturing Services Industry (EMSI) provider that develops and produces electronic products in partnership with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and became a part of Benchmark in 1996.

The Winona division also houses design services which support all Benchmark sites. Winona currently focuses on long-term partnerships with industry leaders in telecommunications, enterprise computer and peripherals, and medical device markets.

The Benchmark Electronics Scholarship is awarded to an incoming freshman pursuing a Statistics Major with a minimum ACT of 26 and high school class rank in the top 15%.

Current Recipient: Aaron Augustine

Math and Stats Department Alumni Scholarship

Current Recipient: Samantha Meyer

Major: Statistics and Mathematics
Hometown: Lakeville, MN
Activities: Women's Lacrosse Club
Future Plans: Graduate School
What do you like best about your major: I like knowing I'll be able to transfer my math/stat skills to help a business, company, etc.
What do you like best about being a WSU student: I enjoy the connections I have made with others in my department.
Interesting Fact: I like to go muskie fishing with my dad.

Ormsin Gardiner Sornmoonpin Scholarship

Ormsin was born in Potaram, Thailand.  She received her Teacher Education Diploma from Suansunandha Teacher Training College, Bangkok, Thailand in 1952, her Advanced Certification in Teaching Secondary Education, Ministry of Education, Bangkok in 1957, B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 1957, and M. Sc. In Engineering, Theory and Practice in Automatice Control, University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester, England, 1966.

Ormsin married Harry Gardiner in 1968 in Thailand.  Her extensive teaching career started with being an educator in Thailand, continued at the College of Saint Teresa and Saint Mary’s University, Winona, MN and culminated with her retirement as Professor Emeritus from Winona State University in 2000.

Ormsin established this scholarship to encourage and motivate students in Physics, Math and Math Education Departments desiring to helping students excel in the understanding and application of mathematical principles in the career of their choice. Throughout her teaching career, Ormsin has given generously of her time and students often speak of her kindness, patience, and commitment to helping them succeed.

Current Recipient(s): Jimmy Hickey

Major: Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science
Hometown: Arlington Heights, IL
Activities: Physics Club, Tutoring, Software Development
Future Plans: Graduate School (hopefully!)
What do you like best about your major: The professors
What do you like best about being a WSU student: Small class sizes
Interesting Fact: My least favorite word is "obviously."

Conager Mrozek

Major: Math Education
Hometown: Rushford, MN
Activities: I enjoy Muskie fishing, deer hunting, and friends.
Future Plans: To educate young individuals and buy lakeside property on Lake Vermilion.
What do you like best about your major: The Math/Stats department; it is full of incredibly intelligent people.
What do you like best about being a WSU student: The fact that almost every person I see on campus I know or have had a class with.
Interesting Fact: I would say my Native American heritage is my most interesting aspect of my life.

Lorena Jacobson Scholarship

Lorena was born and raised in Rochester, MN.  She received her BS in Education from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She taught mathematics for 35 years in Milwaukee Public Schools.  Lorena spent her first five summer vacations at Winona State University to get her Master’s in Education.  She stayed on campus one summer and enjoyed commuting from Rochester the other four: taking morning classes, swimming in Lake Winona in the afternoon, and studying in the evening.  Lorena traveled to many regions of the U.S. and other countries.

Current Recipient: Jon Renken

Floretta May Murray Scholarship

Floretta Murray graduated from Winona State Teachers College in 1932 and immediately began teaching art at the Phelps Campus School.  In 1941, Floretta transferred to the Winona State Teachers College where she became the department head.  She is also responsible for developing the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master’s degree programs at Winona State.  Floretta also worked hard to create opportunities for her students outside of campus by establishing internships at the Minneapolis Art Institute, the Minnesota Museum of Art, and at the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife.  During her career, Floretta also taught at the University of Minnesota, Bemidji State University, Saint Mary’s College, and the College of St. Teresa.  Upon her retirement from teaching in 1976 she was honored as Professor emeritus and was awarded the Winona State University Distinguished Alumni Award in 1987.  She also served as a WSU Foundation Trustee from 1985-1996.

Floretta was also a life-long member of Kappa Delta Pi (the international honor society in education), from which she received the national merit award for distinguished service to education in 1962.  Floretta was a charter member of the Women Artists of America, served as an evaluator for the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and was a member of the American Association of University Professors.  She was also a member of several Winona community and civic organizations.

Floretta’s artwork has been exhibited in all the major galleries and museums in Minnesota, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., and the Hampton gallery in London.  Her work is in a number of private collections in Minnesota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Michigan, California, Washington, and Kansas as well as the prestigious Benjamin and Abby Grey Foundation, the Charles B. Sweatt Collection, and a mural in the United Building Center’s administrative offices in downtown Winona.

Current Recipients: Kaitlyn Hennen

Michael Holmblad

Major: Computer Science and Mathematics
Hometown: Faribault, MN
Activities: Math/Stat Club, Computer Science Club, Video Game Club, programming projects
Future Plans: Hopefully Graduate School in Computer Science or Math
What do you like best about your major: There are many opportunities to research, and I can research just about anything.
What do you like best about being a WSU student: Being able to communicate with professors very freely.
Interesting Fact: I play competitive Pokémon VGC, and I travel to events to play the game.

Kimberly Lee

Valerie Henry

Major: Math Education
Hometown: Warsaw, MN
Activities: I am currently a Resident Assistant in Haake Hall and will be returning as an RA in Prentiss-Lucas next year!
Future Plans: After I graduate, I plan to become a teacher and start working toward a Master's degree.
What do you like best about your major: What I like best about being a Math Education major is that it allows me to carry out my passion for both the subject of math and provide students with the best educational experience possible.
What do you like best about being a WSU student: What I like best about being a WSU student is that I have been able to give back for all of my amazing experiences by serving as an RA and striving to provide incoming students with as great of an experience as I have had.
Interesting Fact: I love to spend time outdoors, especially camping and hunting!

Stacey Miertschin

Minne Analytics Scholarship

Current Recipient: Kapil Khanal

Fred & Sandy Olson Scholarship

Current Recipient: Megan Roth

Daniel & Christine Rand Scholarship

Daniel Rand went to Purdue in 1971 to major in Statistics, a degree which wasn’t known or desirable in the 1970s.  But he received a scholarship and work study money from Purdue, and that allowed him to obtain a Bachelor’s degree and then a Master’s degree in Applied Statistics.  He worked at IBM for 17 years and was able to eventually get a position as an internal statistical consultant, a job that didn’t exist when he started at IBM.  Daniel left in a downsizing and returned to school at the University of Minnesota to get a PhD in Industrial Engineering.  His wife Christine continued to work at IBM and support his return to school.  Upon completion, Daniel landed a job at Winona State University to teach statistics.  In recent years, his colleagues had the foresight to develop a new program in Data Science.  This seemed to foresee a future need, much like going into statistics in the ‘70s.  Upon retirement from his second career at Winona State after 16 years, Daniel wanted to help young people fund their education in these more expensive times.  “I want to encourage those young people to explore their interest in statistical methods, analytics, and data science.”

Current Recipient: Linh Nguyen

The Duane & Edwina Wolfe Math Education Scholarship

Current Recipient: Anna Ramsey