Students earn grand prize Ambassador scholarships!
Sunflower Bank’s first annual Community Ambassadors program culminated across Kansas and Colorado with the selection of three $1000 college scholarship winners.
High school seniors Elizabeth Erickson of Colby, Kent Windholz of Salina, and Nathan Phillips of Manhattan, each earned a $1000 scholarship to their respective colleges – the reward for a final, contemplative essay at the close of the students’ respective Community Ambassadors programs.
More than 130 select students took part in the first annual Community Ambassadors – an interactive, educational scholarship program designed to encourage young people to consider their hometown community as a viable place to live and work after completing their higher education.
The Community Ambassadors Scholarship Program awards three $1000 grand prizes to three students among all program participants, throughout all Sunflower Bank locations. In addition, the program provides for three scholarships given locally within a Community Ambassadors class – a $1,000 scholarship, a $500 scholarship and a $250 scholarship. In their respective communities Windholz earned an additional $1000 scholarship, and Erickson and Phillips each also earned a $500 scholarship. All told, Sunflower Bank awarded $31,000 to area students in scholarships.
Elizabeth Erickson, a senior at Colby High School, will attend Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, in the fall pursuing her interests in music as well as geology. During high school, Erickson was on student council, a member of National Honor Society, a Kansas Ambassador of Music, and also was featured in Who’s Who of American High School Students.
Kent Windholz is a senior at Southeast of Saline High School near Salina, Kan. During his high school career Windholz played football, wrestled, and ran track, in addition to his involvement in student council and National Honor Society. Windholz will attend the University of Kansas in the fall en route to a career in architecture.
Nathan Phillips, a senior at Manhattan High School, plans to study medicine at the University of Kansas in the fall.
Sunflower Bank is now accepting applications for the next class of Community Ambassadors, which will begin this fall. Applications will be accepted until Monday, May 31. Program membership will be limited to a small group and applicants will be evaluated on current class work, community activities, and a series of short essay questions. The scholarships will again be awarded based on effort, participation, and work completed during the Community Ambassador program.
The Community Ambassadors Program is facilitated locally in each Sunflower Bank community. Questions about application or about the program itself can be directed to Sunflower Bank’s customer service line at 1-888-827-5564.
