Scholarships and Support for MCC Students
Home Federal Savings Bank in Marshalltown presented a “big check” to the MCC Foundation to fund two $500 scholarships for local students from low-to-moderate income families.
If your business or organization would like to create a scholarship at MCC, contact Carol Geil at 641-844-5747 or email carol.geil@iavalley.edu. Every scholarship has a big impact on the student who receives it!
Local residents Darwin and Becky Merrill started a scholarship at Marshalltown Community College two years ago, because they see MCC as a great asset to the area, particularly for students who cannot easily fund post-secondary education with savings, grants or scholarships. The first two years of selecting the recipients has been a rewarding experience for Becky, who reads the essays and often speaks to the applicants to get to know them.
There will be four Darwin & Becky Merrill Scholarships available for 2021-2022, with each scholarship being $2,500, which is approximately enough to pay for 12 credit hours at MCC. To be eligible, the applicants should be registering full-time at MCC, have a 3.0 GPA, be a Marshall County high school senior or graduate, and demonstrate financial need. Preference will be given to students who show interaction with their community through activities and volunteerism. The priority deadline to be considered is May 1, 2021. Review of candidates will begin at that time, and any late applications will be considered if there are not four recipients selected from the on-time applicants.
Applications are online at marshalltowncommunitycollegefoundation.org/apply, or contact your high school counselors’ office or MCC Foundation at (641) 844-5747. You will also be expected to include a transcript (may be unofficial) to show GPA, and write a short essay describing how this scholarship would be instrumental in helping you achieve your personal and employment goals.
As always, donors wishing to contribute to or establish scholarship funds are encouraged to contact MCC Foundation Executive Director Carol Geil for more information at 641-844-5747 or carol.geil@iavalley.edu. Gifts to the MCC Foundation are always tax-exempt!
MARSHALLTOWN – In addition to being a successful Marshalltown restaurateur, Alfonso Medina has a knack for food-based mottos. For some time now, the Medina businesses have boasted “Burritos for Books,” where a share of profits from the restaurants funds scholarships they offer at Marshalltown Community College. The Medina Family Scholarship has provided $400 to two students each year, with selection based on essays submitted on “The American Dream.”
For Medina, his American Dream is not just his business ownership, but also exercising right to free speech to bring about positive change. Following some negative comments, he used social media to proclaim #NoLoveNoTacos. Social media followers reposted and retweeted, creating something of a viral movement. From there, his business sense took over: he had t-shirts made with the #NoLoveNoTacos motto, and dedicated the proceeds to the Medina Family Scholarship. Not just a local phenomenon, orders for the shirts have come from all over the United States. His motto took off so well that Medina recently provided $4,000 toward Medina Family Scholarships at Marshalltown Community College for this year!
Any Marshalltown Community College student can be considered for a Medina Family Scholarship simply by submitting an essay on “The American Dream: What It Means To Me” to the MCC Foundation office, Room 103 on campus, or emailing the essay to Carol Geil at carol.geil@iavalley.edu. The selection process will begin soon, so submit your essay before Oct. 30 to be considered for part of $4,000 to be awarded!
Marshalltown Rotary Club presented a check for its annual MCC scholarships at the regular meeting Tuesday, April 11 at Elmwood Country Club. Rotary has been a steadfast supporter of Marshalltown Community College for many years, and the scholarships offered to MCC students on behalf of Rotary include the Reese Gibbs Memorial Scholarship for business, as well as scholarships supporting skilled trades programs and returning sophomores. President Bill Fitzgerald and member Vic Hellberg presented the check to MCC Foundation Executive Director Carol Geil. Hellberg also serves on the Board of Directors for the MCC Foundation.
The Utility Technician program at Marshalltown Community College has found a strong friend and partner in Black Hills Energy Iowa gas operations. Black Hills Energy serves 132 communities across Iowa and is one of many companies struggling to find qualified utility technicians to fill open positions. When they learned of the Utility Technician program at MCC, they knew immediately they wanted to help make the program as successful as possible.
As part of their desire to see more students entering the Utility Technician program, Black Hills Energy has pledged to provide $2,000 per year in scholarships to students entering the program. Preference will be given to students residing in areas where Black Hills provides service. This is the second year that Black Hills has provided the scholarship gift.
Family and friends of Robert Bowman have contributed to a memorial scholarship fund to honor Bob after his passing in April, 2015. The initial endowment gift of $33,000 will be maintained in trust while the income from investing the money will generate a $1,000 annual scholarship to a MCC student. Criteria the family have selected include: Recipient should be in the business program, with preference given to accounting students. Maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA. Financial need considered.
The first recipient of this scholarship, selected in the fall of 2015, is Alyssa Steffa.
Students at Marshalltown Community College will soon be seeing an extensive renovation to their student center, thanks to the generosity of MCC graduate, William “Bill” Faust. The Dubuque native has donated nearly $1 million to Marshalltown Community College to renovate the MCC Student Union area. It’s the largest single gift to the MCC Foundation to date.
“At MCC we are focused on becoming the top community college in Iowa for ensuring student success and providing a great overall experience,” says Dr. Robin Lilienthal, MCC Provost. “Mr. Faust’s generosity as a result of his own positive memories of the college will truly benefit the student experience at Marshalltown Community College. For a long time we have envisioned a major renovation of our student union and related spaces to create the “heart” of our college where students carry the learning they engage in seamlessly between formal instruction and co-curricular engagement. By creating campus spaces that promote great conversation, leadership opportunities, and a chance to build relationships, research shows that opportunities for success increase exponentially.”
Bill Faust
Bill was born on February 20, 1950, in Dubuque, Iowa. He graduated from Dubuque Senior High, then “followed a friend” (in his words) to Marshalltown Community College. After graduating from MCC in 1971, he completed a bachelor’s degree in marketing at the University of Northern Iowa. He then went to work for Deere & Company World Headquarters in Moline, IL, in progressively responsible positions before retiring as an analyst in the forecasting of equipment sales in 2004. He enjoyed trout fishing, biking, working out and working at home on his projects. Bill passed away last year on June 23, 2013, at his home in Moline.
Carol Geil, Executive Director of the Marshalltown Community College Foundation recalls speaking to Mr. Faust about his wishes before he died. “Bill told me that when he began working on his financial planning after retirement, he wanted to leave money from his estate to organizations that had ‘truly meant something’ in his life. As he reminisced, he kept coming back to his time at MCC. He said he was profoundly impacted as a student by the faculty here, particularly Don Maze and John McCurdy, and that some of the best memories of his life revolved around being with friends at the ‘red brick monstrosity’ of the uptown campus during his time here.”
Bill wanted his legacy gift to “make a big splash” and to be used on a “bricks and mortar” project such as building something new or, in this case, a renovation. The renovation of the student union seemed like a fantastic match for his fond memories of time spent at MCC and creating a similar location to create those memories for students in the future. He became very excited about the prospect of giving that gift to all MCC students with his money.
“Because we want to do this right, we will spend the better part of a year engaging students and stakeholders and planning for the project,” says Lilienthal. “A construction timeline, at this point, is anticipated for summer 2016.”
(L-R): Gary Schaudt, MCC Foundation President; Carol Geil, MCC Foundation Executive Director; Mary Quam, Jeff’s mother; and Tyler Green, Worshipful Master of Marshall Lodge #108
MARSHALLTOWN – Marshalltown Masonic Lodge #108 members presented an addition to the Jeff Quam Memorial Scholarship through the Marshalltown Community College Foundation this month. The new $4,000 donation will enhance the original gift of $8,064.82 that established the fund.
The Marshalltown Masonic Lodge #108 Jeff Quam Memorial Scholarship was created in memory of Jeff Quam. Jeffrey Edward “Jeff” Quam was born in Marshalltown March 31, 1957, the son of Robert and Mary Quam. He died Dec. 22, 2006, under Iowa River Hospice care. Jeff attended Norris and Woodbury Elementary Schools, Anson Junior High, and was a 1976 graduate of Marshalltown High School. He participated in Junior Achievement and began his career in retail sales through the MHS distributive education program at Woolco, later attending Marshalltown Community College.
Jeff’s love of local history was kindled at a special interest summer course while he was a student at Woodbury. As an adult, he left employment with Titus True Value to become the administrator of the Historical Society of Marshall County. After completing his role as administrator, Jeff continued on the Historical Society board and returned to Thompson True Value. He was Historical Society board president at the time of his death.
Jeff’s other compelling interest was the Marshalltown Masonic Organizations and many hours were spent at the Masonic Temple. He served as Worshipful Master of Marshall Lodge No. 108, A.F. & A.M. and each of the York Rite bodies: High Priest of Signet Chapter No. 38, R.A.M.; Illustrious Master of King Solomon Council No. 20, R.&S.M.; and Eminent Commander of St. Aldemar Commandery No. 30, K.T. Jeff organized upgrades to the Masons’ fifth floor meeting space and also was on the Masonic Holding Corporation board that oversees the Temple building operations, serving as president prior to his death. Jeff was given a Masonic service at his funeral.
Jeff’s family requested memorials made in his memory be directed to the Historical Society of Marshall County for the renovation of Taylor #4 (the Weatherbee School) or to establish a Marshall Masonic Lodge Scholarship fund. The Masons decided to use the scholarship monies for Marshalltown Community College students majoring or minoring in history.
In 2007 the members of Polar Star Lodge No. 113 at LeGrand were in the process of closing their lodge and merging with Marshall Lodge No. 108. The members voted that $8,000 of Polar Star Lodge’s monies be directed to Jeff’s scholarship fund.
Creating a memorial scholarship is one way to establish a legacy and financially assist MCC students and future students with their education. Anyone interested in learning more about starting a scholarship at MCC can contact Carol Geil at 641-844-5747.