Many of you are probably familiar with the Owatonna Foundation and how, through your generous donations, have helped support community projects most closely associated with physical structures – however, did you know that the Owatonna Foundation has also been helping individuals in their own personal development?

It’s true, since 1995 the Owatonna Foundation has awarded over 400 scholarships totaling over $550,000 to deserving individuals in our community.

The Owatonna Foundation has scholarship opportunities for students who wish to continue their education as well as for adults who are looking for a new career.  Building ones educational base helps build a better tomorrow for the individual, and for our community.

Maybe now more than ever, Owatonna, and communities like ours, are in a dire need for a talented, qualified, and educated workforce – this is one of the most critical needs businesses see today.  Visit with any of our major employers, and you will hear this same message….and it’s not just the industrial sector needing qualified employees – the medical community, law enforcement, service industry and others are all in need of workers.

Through their scholarship program, the Owatonna Foundation is reinvesting in our community via scholarships that range from $500 to $3,000 and are awarded to individuals looking to prepare for a technical career that doesn’t require a four-year degree.  Recipients typically attend a technical or community college as they work towards their career goals.  The Owatonna Foundation has two categories for applicants – traditional scholarships are for those individuals graduating from high school this year – and nontraditional scholarships for those who graduated prior to 2018 and are already in the workforce and looking to acquire additional education in pursuit of a new or expanded career.

To learn more about the Owatonna Foundation’s Scholarship Program, including deadlines, instructions and applications, and the criteria for applying – we encourage you to visit our website:www.owatonnafoundation.org.  Owatonna is a great place to live and work….and with a scholarship from the Owatonna Foundation; we hope it will be a little easier for you to do both.

Matt Kottke
Matt Kottke is a lifetime Owatonna resident, employed at Kottke Jewelers, and an Owatonna Foundation Trustee.