What is Dollars for Scholars?

Our chapter is part of a national organization called Scholarship America which is the nation's largest scholarship organization in the U.S. Scholarship America has ranked as the top education charity for five consecutive years by Smart Money magazine.

Charity Navigator, the leading independent evaluator for nonprofits, lists Scholarship America as one of the '10 Best Charities Everyone Has Heard Of' and one of the 10 'Slam Dunk' charities for its efficiency and low operating costs.
(2005)

The Twin Cities Business Journal ranks Scholarship America #1 on it Top 25 list of Civic Nonprofits (2002-2003).

 

History of the Wahpeton Chapter

Dollars for Scholars began in Fall River, Mass. in 1958 when a local businessman promoted postsecondary education as a means to combat the depressed economy. The project turned into a national non-profit organization that continues to believe communities can create a local vehicle to gather resources directed to local students and their postsecondary dreams.

The Wahpeton Dollars for Scholars chapter, of Wahpeton, ND, was formed in 1990. The first 2 scholarships were presented in 1991 and each recipient received $500. Since 1990, the Wahpeton Dollars for Scholars chapter has awarded over $350,000 in scholarships to 588 graduating seniors from Wahpeton High School.  In 2018, we awarded $23,000 in scholarships to 23 Wahpeton seniors.

The Wahpeton Dollars for Scholars endowment fund was greatly aided by an initial gift of $40,000 by the family of Robert Hausken, a 1965 graduate of Wahpeton Senior High. Through the gifts of individuals, businesses, service clubs, graduating classes of Wahpeton Senior high, our endowment fund has now grown to over $400,000. It is through earnings and growth of this endowment fund, that we are able to fund the scholarships provided. We have an objective to grow the Dollars for Scholars endowment fund to $1,000,000.