LSSU Scholarships

This scholarship was established by the Chippewa County Sunrise Rotary Club to honor one of its members, Martin (Beau) Korson who passed away in February 2019.  Beau graduated from LSSU in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.  He was born and raised in Suttons Bay, MI, but found a home in Sault Ste. Marie. Beau loved the outdoors; he was an avid mountain biker and runner, entering races as a means of challenging himself.   He loved music and found great satisfaction in participating in local theater, both as an actor and working behind the scenes.  He adored his two daughters, Maddy and Ella; they thought he was the funniest person in the world.  Beau was strong physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  He was passionate about investing in people. He was genuinely interested in what they had to say, and it showed in the relationships he developed.  He had a way of making people feel important and there was never a dull moment when Beau was around.   Successful candidates must be an incoming freshman enrolled in any course of student who is a graduate of a Chippewa County High School with a minimum 3.0 GPA who demonstrates their commitment and involvement within their school and/or their community.

Marv Dahlman was a member of the LSSU Engineering faculty for 33 years. He began his teaching career in 1952 at what was then the Sault Branch of Michigan Tech. He retired as an Associate Professor from Lake Superior State University in 1985, and was named a Professor Emeritus. Audrey and Marvin were married for 68 years and raised their three children on LSSU’s Faculty Row, where they developed lifelong friendships and an abiding affection for the University. Audrey was employed at Sault Savings Bank, from which she retired as an Assistant Vice-President. She also enjoyed volunteer work, in support of her children’s school activities, the Faith Lutheran Church and University. Successful candidates must be a student majoring in any engineering field at LSSU with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and demonstrated financial need.

This named endowment was established by Mary Lubs Thomsen to honor her late husband, Viggo. Both were long-time residents of Sault Ste. Marie and former employees of LSSU. Mary was director of Public Relations and Viggo served for 27 years as a faculty member of the Biology Department. The scholarship provides financial assistance to LSSU students majoring in the biological sciences, pre-pharmacy, pre-medical and/or pre-dental programs.

Mary R. (Stuart) Gray was a longtime resident of Sault Ste. Marie, who was known and loved by many. She believed strongly in the value and integrity of work and education. She did not have the opportunity to go to college when she was a young woman. But in between working and raising her family, she continued her education at Lake Superior State University. Those classes brought her great joy and energy. Although the demands of work and family prevented her from earning a college degree, it was her wish to help others in achieving this goal. Preference for this scholarship is given to non-traditional students who have earned at least 26 LSSU credits and a minimum 3.0 GPA.

This scholarship honors Michael Della-Moretta, a 1977 alumnus and Navy pilot killed in 1981 while serving aboard the USS Independence off the coast of Iran. He once said the happiest years of his life were at Lake Superior State University. The award is given to an Eastern U.P. resident with an interest in biological science or lab science major (including math and computer science) who has achieved academic excellence.

This scholarship was established in 2019 by Michael James and Wendy Menard James. Wendy is a native of Sault Ste. Marie and a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She is a LSSU alumna and in 2019 she received the Kenneth J. Shouldice Award that honors individuals whose personal and professional successes serve as outstanding examples to LSSU graduates. Wendy began her successful career in the Sault as a newspaper reporter, later working in government, nonprofit and business before starting her own successful company focusing on environmental improvement. Michael spent his career in the entertainment business, working mostly in music and television. She and her husband created this scholarship to support students who are under-represented in the LSSU population. They aim to help male and female students who want to encourage the advancement of women who currently are underrepresented in both business and environmental fields.

Successful candidates may be an incoming freshman or current student who is a graduate of a Michigan Eastern Upper Peninsula high school with a minimum 3.0 GPA. One student who is majoring in a LSSU Environmental Science program and one who is majoring in a Lukenda School of Business program are selected each year.

In 2018, the Michigan Charter Boat Association, Inc. (MCBNA) created their named annual scholarship. The MCBA is a non-profit organization of professional, United States Coast Guard licensed captains and their safety inspected vessels. The association and its membership have a flawless safety record over several decades guiding the fishermen and women on sport fishing excursions on the four Great Lakes surrounding the State of Michigan. It is their wish to provide financial assistance to students majoring in the LSSU Fisheries and Wildlife Management or Biology program, with a focus on fisheries studies.

This scholarship was established in memory of Milton Scherer, assistant professor of history and geography, Soo Tech Branch, 1948-1965. As per his wife, Ruth’s request, this scholarship is being offered to students interested in pursuing study for better understanding of our planet, our environment and its relationship to people. Besides his many interests in books, hiking, hunting, and Indian artifacts, Milton was a naturalist and conservationist. He served in the 1941-42 Michigan legislature representing the Muskegon district. This scholarship is awarded to a student majoring in history with a minor in geography and who has earned a minimum 3.0 GPA.

In 2005, the family of Russell Pattison established this scholarship as an expression of his appreciation to Nancy Miller for her friendship and healthcare services. This scholarship is presented to a nursing student who has earned at least 26 LSSU credits with a minimum 3.0 GPA and a desire to pursue a career in the public healthcare sector.

The named scholarship is established by Michael Isham ’77 to honor his parents. Though neither graduated from high school until they were in their 40’s, Neil and Dolly are hard working people who prize literacy and instilled a sense of life’s curiosity and love of reading in each of their five sons. Successful candidates must be an incoming freshman who is a graduate of a Michigan high school majoring in any course of study in the College of Arts and Sciences, and who has earned a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Jim Smith and Tom Wiles are both graduates of Bedford High School (1972) and classmates at Lake Superior State College. Upon their retirement, they returned to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. “Our experiences as students at Lake Superior State College in the 1970s to our present stage of life, have been the foundation for our desire to fund an award for an incoming freshman and a science scholarship to a current student. They have issued their recipients a challenge: To apply all the knowledge that you have/will learn for the benefit of generations present and future.

The science scholarship is given to a student of sophomore status with a minimum 3.0 GPA who is seeking a career path as a scientist. The hope of the future lies not in curbing the influence of human occupancy – it is already too late for that – but in creating a better understanding of the extent of that influence and a new ethic for its governance. ― Aldo Leopold, Game Management

The Joseph and Bonnie Halvorsen Memorial Endowment was established by the Halvorsen’s five children to honor their parents and to provide financial assistance to a sophomore student pursuing a career as a park ranger for the State of Michigan or National Park Service. Joseph and Bonnie were married in 1952 shortly after Halvorsen began his career with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Between 1963 and 1977, Halvorsen managed F. J. McLain State Park in Hancock, Grand Haven State Park, Brimley State Park, and Tahquamenon Falls State Park until his retirement in 1991. Despite all these accomplishments, Halvorsen always felt his advancement was curtailed because he lacked a college degree. He spent the last years of his career training people who would go on to surpass him, always willing to assist and provide advice because of his love and commitment for the job.

Professor Emeritus Raymond Chelberg and his wife Marian were one of the original faculty families at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology, Sault Branch in 1946. From that time until he retired in 1970, Professor Chelberg was chair of the Chemistry Department. He was a dedicated teacher for more than 44 years and was remembered for his personal, caring and effective approach to teaching. Marian taught music appreciation at Lake State and was one of the founders of the Musicale. She was choir director at Central United Methodist Church and was one of the first women invited to join the Rotary Club. Together, Raymond and Marian significantly enhanced the scientific, athletic and cultural aspects of Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding community. The Chelberg scholarship is awarded to a natural science major, with a minimum 3.0 GPA, who demonstrates leadership abilities and contributes significantly to the success of the athletic team on which he or she is a letter-winner.

This named endowment was established by Mary Lubs Thomsen to honor her late husband, Viggo. Both were long-time residents of Sault Ste. Marie and former employees of LSSU. Mary was director of Public Relations and Viggo served for 27 years as a faculty member of the Biology Department. The scholarship provides financial assistance to LSSU students majoring in the biological sciences, pre-pharmacy, pre-medical and/or pre-dental programs.

This scholarship honors Michael Della-Moretta, a 1977 alumnus and Navy pilot killed in 1981 while serving aboard the USS Independence off the coast of Iran. He once said the happiest years of his life were at Lake Superior State University. The award is given to an Eastern U.P. resident with an interest in biological science or lab science major (including math and computer science) who has achieved academic excellence.

This scholarship was created in 2006 by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science faculty as a tool to retain highly qualified students at LSSU. Successful recipients must be a major in mathematics or computer science or pursuing a degree in math education with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

This endowed scholarship was established to honor one of the charter faculty of Sault Branch of Michigan College of Mining and Technology. Franklin spent 30 years (1948-1978) as a mathematics professor and was the University’s first faculty athletic representative, serving 12 years during the early development of the Laker athletic program. He was instrumental in the development of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). In 1999, Franklin was posthumously inducted to the LSSU Athletic Hall of Fame for his invaluable contributions to the Laker athletic program. Wanda was a homemaker who was very active in her church, the LSSU Faculty Wives’ organization, and a strong supporter of the University and of her husband’s participation in a wide range of academic and athletic interests. The recipient must be a sophomore mathematics or computer science major with a minimum 3.0 GPA in their major courses.

This scholarship was established in 2001 by Galen Harrison (1938-2022) to provide financial assistance to math and computer science majors. Harrison was a long-time LSSU Professor of Mathematics who taught at Lake State from 1963 until his retirement in 1996. Mr. Harrison believed in the importance of higher education and understood that many students need financial support while working towards their educational and career goals.

This endowed scholarship was established by Galen H. Harrison (1938-2022), a graduate of Pickford High School and LSSU Professor of Mathematics (1963-1996). Mr. Harrison believed in the importance of higher education and understood that many students need financial support while working towards their educational and career goals. Successful candidates must be an incoming freshman who is a Pickford High School graduate with a minimum 3.0 GPA majoring in biology, chemistry, geology, nursing, mathematics, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, environmental chemistry, or environmental science.

This endowed scholarship was established by LSSU professor emeritus Gerald Samson (1928-2022). During his career at LSSU, Professor Samson received the LSSU Distinguished Teacher award in 1974 and Emeritus Status in 1990. He could recite a plethora of poems he learned in grade school, remember all the words to the songs he loved from the 30s and 40s (anything after 1950 wasn’t music), solve complex math equations just for fun, read books, books, and more books from the classics, to science, to mysteries and was known as a crossword puzzle aficionado. He loved the phrase “look it up” and spent much time doing just that about any topic that interested him. Selection is based on the recommendation of the LSSU mathematics and computer science faculty.

This scholarship honors Michael Della-Moretta, a 1977 alumnus and Navy pilot killed in 1981 while serving aboard the USS Independence off the coast of Iran. He once said the happiest years of his life were at Lake Superior State University. The award is given to an Eastern U.P. resident with an interest in biological science or lab science major (including math and computer science) who has achieved academic excellence.

This endowment was established by Catherine Gianakura Rogg to honor her parents, Peter and Georgia. At the time of her high school graduation, Georgia was planning to attend Michigan State University to become a mathematics teacher until her father became ill. She made the choice to care for her father and attend to the needs of her family. Longing for a career as a photojournalist, Peter was unable to pursue his education due to his commitment to his father’s business, The American Café, and to his family. In honor of her parents who sacrificed their education and career dreams for the care and well being of their families, Catherine created two scholarships to be granted annually to a student who is seeking a career in Journalism and to a student who is pursuing a degree in Education with a major in Mathematics.

A founder of the Chippewa County Employees Credit Union and a longtime Sault High School math teacher, Rosa Grout, enlightened more than 2,000 students on the beauty and precision of math. “I still hear from many of them who thank me for the structure and discipline that geometry instilled into their lives,” she recalled shortly before her death in 2004 at the age of 95. Grout’s spirit of education carries on in the form of a math, science and technical studies scholarship endowment she created in 1992. The student recipient is a major in engineering technology, mathematics, or computer science. Selection of the award is based upon high school GPA, ACT score and high school class rank.

This scholarship was established to honor William Gregory, former president of Edison Sault Electric Company. He served as a member of the LSSU Board of Trustees, the LSSU Foundation Board of Directors, and received LSSU’s Distinguished Citizen Award in 1986.  LSSU President Robert Arbuckle once stated, “Bill Gregory has actively supported the University with his talent and treasure for over 25 years. No one in this region is more devoted to Lake State.” Successful candidates must be a junior majoring in engineering, mathematics, business, biology or fisheries and wildlife management with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

This endowment was established by family and friends in memory of Chris Reinke, a natural resources technology (NRT) student, 1986-88. Chris was known as a free-spirited, independent young man who had a great love for the outdoors. It was because of his love for the woods and water that he chose the natural resources program at LSSU. His untimely death in 1988 left an indelible mark on Lake State students and to all who knew him. One of his friends, Cindy (Nocerini) Dingell, commented that Chris lived by the old phrase, “live each day like it was your first and every minute like it was your last.” This award assists a sophomore NRT student with a minimum 2.0 GPA who has a sincere dedication to the NRT field. Selection is based on the recommendation of the NRT faculty.