Nine Students Awarded a Total of $12,000
For 28 years, Sunward has supported student members with our annual Scholarship Competition. We extend our best wishes to our 2022 winners, and give our thanks to the 27 members who volunteered their time as judges.
Of the 100 applications submitted, nine students received awards ranging from $500 to $4,000. Their essays addressed the question, “What is the best or worst thing you’ve ever spent your own money on, and what lesson did you learn from that experience?” Following are excerpts from the top three winning essays.
Lucas Heimgartner – First Place
“There was tremendous pressure—subtle or otherwise—to buy the right clothes, get the latest tech, and wear the nicest backpack. As saving conscious as I was, eventually I doled out a fifth of my total savings to buy a laptop—the same laptop I am writing this essay on now. This purchase ended up being the most wasteful I can remember making.”
Lucas attends the University of New Mexico, pursuing a Master’s Degree in Philosophy.
Tess Kirkpatrick – Second Place
“Beyond the pragmatic applications of my purchase, it showed me that sometimes the littlest things are worth all the money in the world. I took an intrinsic comfort in knowing my dad was reading right along with me. Each time we discussed the book, it was like he was right there with me.”
Tess attends Montana State University, majoring in Biochemistry.
Sydney Gutierrez – Third Place
“I have learned how a simple art medium can illuminate thankfulness and cultivate cultural understanding and appreciation. Learning to create such intricate art from a simple, two-dimensional piece of paper has led me to develop motor skills, but it also has better helped me to express gratitude.”
Sydney will be attending California Polytechnic State University to pursue a degree in Biology.
Additional 2022 Sunward Scholarship Winners
(in alphabetical order)
Aubrey Amon will be attending Florida International University to pursue a double major in Computer Science and Public Policy.
Desirae Hoaglin will be attending University of Arizona to pursue a degree in Finance and Business Economics.
Karlie McReaken will be attending Texas Tech University to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Luke Brenden will be attending Grand Canyon University to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Marni Matuska attends University of San Francisco majoring in Nursing.
Rebekah Payne will be attending Brigham Young University-Idaho to pursue a degree in Business, Communication, and Management.
Information about our 2023 scholarship competition will appear on our website and in the Spring 2023 edition of Dollars & Sense.
