Bill Nelson Scholarship Endowment announces 2023 recipients
The Bill Nelson Scholarship Endowment (BNSE) has awarded four scholarships totaling $10,000 to its 2023 class of recipients.
Recipients for the 2023 awards are:
- Paris Coney of Vidalia, Georgia;
- Lauren Carlson of Byron, Illinois;
- Joan Tillman of Glennville, Georgia; and
- Joshua Howard of Rock Falls, Illinois.
The BNSE is an educational charity designed to advance the academic pursuits of employees and the children of employees who are employed by member companies of the Outdoor Power Parts & Accessories Association (OPPAA). The BNSE awards academic scholarships to outstanding high-school graduates, college undergraduates or graduate students pursuing any degree, with a preference for those in a business-related field. The awards are intended to supplement the educational expenses for students in the upcoming academic year. This year, a total of $10,000 was awarded to two high-school and two college students – the top applicant(s) in each school category receiving $3,000 each, and runner ups receiving $2,000 each.
Since 2000, the endowment has awarded 74 scholarships totaling more than $157,000 to high-school and college students. Scholarship recipients for this year represent Oregon Tool and Rotary Corporation, and were chosen from numerous applications received, reports the OPPAA.
The BNSE is governed by the following trustees: Mark Errick, D.E. Errick, Inc.; Sue Chaney, K-C Sales; John Joensen, Kress Commercial; and Ed Nelson, Rotary Corporation. Staff includes Brandon Martin and Suzanne Shomers of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI).
