Stan and Dorothy Engeldorf are paving the way for student success at Meridian Technology Center through a newly established endowed scholarship with the Meridian Technology Center Foundation.

The Stan and Dorothy Engeldorf Scholarship is available to any adult student who is in good standing within their program area. Students can use the scholarship for tuition, books, equipment and supplies directly related to their program or other expenses while enrolled in school.

“The need for people working in skilled trades continues to grow,” Stan said regarding the creation of the scholarship. “People employed in these industries do well for themselves. Having a skilled workforce is good for the country, too.”

Both Stan and Dorothy retired from careers aligned with the type of training offered at Meridian. Dorothy spent more than 30 years working as a nurse. One of Stan’s first jobs while attending the University of Minnesota was as a baker’s helper at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott. He spent three decades with the company, retiring as the General Manager of the company’s 1,310-room Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Engeldorf’s connection to Tech is all relative. Their niece is Dr. DeAnna Little, Director of Instruction for Meridian’s Trade and Industry programs. Her husband, Les Little, is the school’s new Criminal Justice program instructor. Both of them began their career at Meridian as Information Technology instructors. During a family visit, the Engeldorfs met the Littles for lunch at Meridian’s Terrace Café. Following their meal, they toured the campus. The Aberdeen, South Dakota, residents were immediately impressed with the career training taking place at Tech.

“We appreciated what was being done in the classrooms and how students were learning. We felt this type of training is something we wanted to be involved with,” recalled Stan. “Dorothy and I both come from humble beginnings, and we believe it’s important to help others.”

Dorothy echoed this commitment, adding, “We remember what it was like to have someone invest in us, and now we want to invest in students who demonstrate strong work ethic, initiative and positive attitude.”

Customized Ways to Support Students

Established in 1985, the Meridian Technology Center Foundation assists in advancing education and training opportunities for students at Meridian. Scholarships through the Foundation may be for specific programs, students from particular communities or available for general or unrestricted expenses, depending on the donor’s request. The Foundation accepts scholarship applications from students each month.

As the needs of students have expanded over the years, so has the fundraising mission of the Foundation. Through the generous support of Foundation donors, students can truly experience all aspects of the education and training that Meridian provides.

“The way individuals decide to support the Meridian Technology Center Foundation can be as unique as they are,” explained Meridian’s Executive Director of Extension Education and Community Development Alane Zannotti. “We partner with donors to create a one-of-a-kind giving opportunity based on their particular passion.”

Annual scholarships give donors flexibility in cost and commitment. Donors choose annually to continue providing scholarship funding. A yearly gift of any amount may be used to provide a scholarship for a deserving student. Donations to annual scholarships are generally not invested and do not earn additional income. Donors can also direct their contribution to the general scholarship fund to help pay for tuition, student organization membership dues and career training supplies.

An endowment is an amount of money given to the Meridian Technology Center Foundation with a stipulation that the funds are invested to earn annual interest rather than spent immediately. A portion of the annual earnings is used to award student scholarships. Endowments can be established with cash gifts, securities or other property, or may be funded with a series of contributions made over time. They may also be financed by a bequest, deferred gift or through a combination of lifetime and deferred gifts. Earnings will be awarded once the endowment reaches the minimum required funding level. Because the endowment’s principal is never spent, the gift represents an enduring tribute to the person honored by the fund.

To learn more about the Meridian Technology Center Foundation and how you can help students reach their career goals, visit meridiantech.edu/scholarships or contact Alane Zannotti at 405.377.3333 or alanez@meridiantech.edu.

Dorothy and Stan Engeldorf