Sunflower Bank

Sunflower Bank’s fourth Community Ambassadors class culminated across its Kansas and Colorado markets with the bank’s award of more than $20,000 in college scholarships.

High school seniors Max Archer of McPherson, Megan Burch of Osborne, and Lindsey Curtis of Manhattan each earned the highest honor in Sunflower Bank’s Community Ambassadors program – a $1000 college scholarship for use next academic year.

More than 130 select students completed Sunflower Bank Community Ambassadors in Kansas and Colorado in 2010. The interactive scholarship program features monthly workshops with local business, government and area leaders. In four years, more than 514 students have earned the distinction of Community Ambassador, and Sunflower Bank has donated more than $111,000 in scholarship awards to Ambassadors.

Archer, Burch and Curtis earned scholarships on the heels of exemplary participation in Sunflower Bank’s eight-month Community Ambassadors class, administered locally in each Sunflower Bank city. As a final project, students are invited to submit a “business possibility plan” for consideration of one of three grand-prize scholarships.

The final project requires students to research, develop and articulate an idea for launching and sustaining a successful business in their local community after college graduation. Students drew on backgrounds of economic development, entrepreneurship, and local government presented throughout monthly Community Ambassadors sessions.

Max Archer is a senior at McPherson High School and will attend the University of Kansas. He is enrolled in the Masters of Architecture program, and his passion for architecture was evident in his business plan for “Archer Architecture LLC.”

Megan Burch of Osborne, Kansas, unveiled a detailed plan for a home staging business: “Staged to Succeed.” Burch will attend Brown Mackie College in Salina in the fall, beginning a career in occupational therapy.

Lindsey Curtis, a senior at Manhattan High School, developed a plan to launch the “Believing Hands Clinic,” focused on service and outreach helping underprivileged citizens of Uganda. Curtis will begin studies at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif. this fall.

The program encourages high school seniors to consider their hometown communities as viable destinations in the future, and opens the students up to local economic and leadership development. Each Community Ambassadors class selects three local scholarship winners based on effort and participation – earning amounts of $1000, $500, and $250. Curtis and Archer each earned their local top prize as well – meaning Sunflower Bank will award a total of $2000 for Curtis and $2000 for Archer.

“Each year, it’s an honor to work with talented and enthusiastic students who exhibit a passion for learning, growing, and giving back to their communities,” said Phyllis Pickel, executive vice president of Sunflower Bank. “We’re proud to sponsor the Community Ambassador program, support the communities we serve and help develop future leaders.”

Sunflower Bank is now accepting applications for the next class of Community Ambassadors, beginning in fall 2010. Applications will be accepted at local Sunflower Banks and online until Monday, June 8.

Program membership is again limited to a small group, and classes will feature at least nine participants.
Applicants are evaluated on current class work, community activities, and a series of short essay questions. Questions about application or about the program itself can be directed to Sunflower Bank’s customer service line at 1-888-827-5564. Apply online..

Family-owned Sunflower Bank is based in Salina, Kan., and comprises $1.8 billion in assets spread throughout 19 cities, including Colorado offices in Cañon City, Monte Vista, Pueblo and South Fork; Kansas offices in Colby, Dodge City, Ellinwood, Great Bend, Hays, Junction City, Lawrence, Liberal, Manhattan, Osborne, Russell, Salina, Topeka, Victoria and Wichita; and Leeton, Missouri.