Dena Wyum (2006)

To watch a short video of Dena talking about what she is doing now and what this scholarship means to her, check out this link! https://www.facebook.com/NDSUWGS/videos/2542378335902869/

Jessica Clark (2007)

It was an incredible honor to be a recipient of the Laurie Loveland scholarship. I still remember like it was yesterday being interviewed for the scholarship with Ann, Heidi Heitkamp, and Laurie’s sister. I remember taking a sip of water and realizing the whole glass was shaking as I was so nervous. :)

Being a recipient of the scholarship not only helped financially but gave me confidence and fortitude that these women who are pillars saw something in me. I could make a difference for those whose voices are silenced. It was incredibly humbling.

My history after graduating NDSU with a degree in Psychology, minor in Women's Studies, I worked and volunteered for a few nonprofits in the F-M area, worked in government as a military member and contractor, one of those positions running the Child & Youth Program for the North Dakota National Guard, completed my service to the Air National Guard, and my husband and I moved to Bend, Oregon where we currently reside with our three-year-old son, Saul.

 I worked for Starbucks for a couple of years, stepped back into government work with the Oregon National Guard providing resource and referral services to Service Members, Veterans, and their Families, and now am with NAVIS, a software company based in Bend as an Executive Assistant to three Vice Presidents (Product, Engineering, and Client Success). I have found working in software to be an exciting opportunity and privileged to work for such a values-first company.   

To close, I am thankful for Laurie and the trailblazing work she accomplished. Her tenacity, determination, and grit to ensure justice was served should be an inspiration to all of us.

I am also thankful for Dr. Burnett and all she has done to support women and gender equality. She is my inspiration and I owe so much to her. I will never forget her kindness, support, and the time she provided to me during my college years. Ann is my pillar.

Emily Hagemeister (2008)

Emily Coler-Hanson (2008)

Kayla Helseth (2009)

Sam Larson (2009)

Karen Okigbo (2010)

Anna-Alicia Watson (2010)

Carissa Suter (2011)

Courtney Schaff (2012)

After completing my BS in Women and Gender Studies in 2013, I wound my way through a myriad of not-for-profit, political, and electoral jobs before landing within the organized labor movement as an Organizer with North Dakota United, the union building the power of educators and public employees in their workplaces and in the legislature. Receiving the Laurie J. Loveland Scholarship meant I had the financial security to focus on the completion of my degree and to be selective upon graduation about which opportunities I sought and seized. At times, working multiple or short-term or seemingly fruitless jobs, I would wonder if I had made the right choices, if I was honoring the purpose of the Loveland Scholarship and the committee's trust. Now, 6 years later, I am confident in their confidence in me and am proud to serve my community as an active contributor to several progressive people and causes. Beyond my service, I enjoy traveling, practicing yoga, riding my bike through my downtown Fargo neighborhood, and "adult-ing" better every day.

Mercedes Lee (2012)

Calie Craddock (2013)

Paige Jensen (2013)

Kristen Fennell (2014)

Allison Pillar (2014)

Caitlin Johnson (2015)

Caitlyn Johnson (2015) - "I currently teach English at the Woodrow Wilson Alternative High School in Fargo, ND.  I graduated with a second masters degree last spring from the University of Mary. I have one masters in Business Project Management and the other is in Education.  I am All But Dissertation for my Ph.D. in Education, which I hope to obtain the fall of 2020.  After I graduate, I am unsure if I will stay in secondary education or return to higher education.  The one thing that I am sure of is that I want to continue my research with tribal populations and work with disadvantaged populations.  I believe that giving back to my community is the best reward in my career.

I still live at home as a single parent with my amazing son, Sage. As scholarship recipient, it meant so much to receive this award.  As a single parent putting themselves through school, it can be overwhelming enough without having to worry about funding. In addition to being a non-traditional student, I am also a special needs parent.  It has presented a certain amount of challenges throughout my studies, but I have been able to push through it all. The Laurie Loveland Scholarship gave me the opportunity to focus more on my studies to pursue my dream of getting my doctoral degree.  It provided me the opportunity to be there for my son and continue to pursue my degree.  It also gave me the opportunity to meet some amazing people who believe in the equity of all people no matter their background, just like me."

Nicole Borstad (2015)

Kenzie Timms (2016)

Jenika Rufer (2017)

"I am going for my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at North Dakota State University. In the future I plan to work either in an abortion clinic or in a setting with rape and domestic violence victims. There is an extreme amount of trauma and suffering in our world and I want to be a part of helping people through those difficult times. This scholarship has allowed me to become closer to the amazing women in the WGS department and to further my education, bringing me one step closer to my dreams."

Zoe Citrowske Lee (2017)

"I plan to attend St. Cathrine University for my Masters in Clinical Social Work. I hope to remain flexible in my expectations so as to stay open to the future and the many different avenues ahead. I know, without a doubt that I want to focus on women's empowerment. There is so much good that can come from 50% of our population realizing their worth and having the tools and opportunities to build and contribute to our shared future. I want nothing more and will accept nothing less of myself than to be a part of this good work."

Madison Schill (2018)

Madison Schill (2018) - "This semester, I am wrapping up my second of three years in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. I have accepted an internship position at Minnesota State Community and Technical College where I will be working with students for all of next year. I am currently the president of our counseling honor society, Chi Sigma Iota, and am a Graduate Assistant in the Human Development and Family Science Department. Thanks to the Loveland Scholarship, I’ve been able to pursue my master’s degree and along with it, my love for feminist scholarship and social justice. I hope to continue in the counseling field by tending specifically to marginalized and oppressed populations."

Katie Breidenbach 2019

Katie Breidenbach (2019) - "I feel so incredibly honored to have been given the opportunity to take part in the legacy that Laurie has left behind. Being awarded the Laurie Loveland scholarship has been such a blessing in my life and has alleviated much financial stress. This scholarship has allowed me to continue pursuing my passion to serve the public through education; there is only a few short months before I will hopefully be serving as an English Educator in the Fargo-Moorhead community. 
I remember leaving the interview for the Loveland Scholarship feeling amazing. At that moment I did not care whether I would win the scholarship or not, rather I felt proud to have been given the opportunity to sit around a table with such incredible woman and talk about important issues regarding race, gender, religion, discrimination, and so much more. The questions asked and the conversations which followed gave me a sense of the powerful and passionate energy that Laurie must have possessed. I left feeling inspired to strive for something greater than myself. For that, I will be forever grateful."

Alliana Houfek, 2020

The Loveland Scholarship has been a huge help this year financially. I will be graduating this spring and knowing that my last year of school was generously covered by the Loveland scholarship has been a relief, especially after this last year with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although I have continued to work part-time throughout the school year, I have been able to direct my attention to my studies and full-time internship with NDSU Extension and Essentia Health as I finish my final year at NDSU. I cannot express how appreciative I am of the opportunities the Loveland Scholarship has given me, both in the present and future.

Jade Berg, 2021

Being a recipient of the Loveland scholarship has been a huge blessing and helped to alleviate the financial burdens associated with attending college. When I found out I received the scholarship, I remember feeling instantly relaxed because I could cut back on worrying for paying for school and instead focus on my studies and applying for graduate school. I received this scholar during my final year of undergraduate studies, which allowed me to devote more time to studying and connecting with professors and classmates. I was also able to take leadership roles in student organizations that I was a part of and spend time volunteering within the local community. I was also able to pursue opportunities that allowed me to further my activism as a feminist and educate others on various topics like diversity, equity, and menstrual health.