Hastings College announces 2024-25 Scott Scholars

(Hastings, Nebraska) – Thanks to the addition of the Walter Scott, Jr. Community Leadership Challenge and the continued support and investment of the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation, the 2024-25 Scott Scholars class at Hastings College has nearly doubled from previous years and includes 15 students from Nebraska and Colorado.

The Scott Scholars Program is funded by the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation of Omaha and is open to high achieving students who want to participate in an exclusive experiential learning program and major or double major with another area in biology, chemistry, physics, business or math. The program provides a renewable scholarship that covers 100 percent of tuition and fees, plus room and board, and provides $2,000 in annual educational and experiential enrichment funding.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome these students to our program, our campus, and our community. The objective of our program is to develop workforce and career-ready graduates for Nebraska — difference makers for Nebraska, its communities and its employers,” said Dave Rippe, director of the Scott Scholars program. “Scott Scholars are not only student leaders on campus, but they are active and engaged members of our greater Hastings community during their time at Hastings College, and hopefully following graduation as well.”

Students selected for the program include:

Samuel Acosta Castellanos of Grand Island Senior High School, Grand Island, Nebraska 
Julia Bernard of Millard North High School, Omaha, Nebraska 
Param Bhakta of Hastings High School, Hastings, Nebraska 
Caden Block of Hastings High School, Hastings 
Abigail Fielder of Hastings High School, Hastings 
Stella Heapy of Medicine Valley High School, Curtis, Nebraska 
Teyla Huff of Scottsbluff High School, Gering, Nebraska 
Brooke Johnsen of Fort Calhoun High School, Omaha, Nebraska 
Ellie Lloyd of West Douglas County Community High School, Yutan, Nebraska 
Sara Malcom of Norris High School, Roca, Nebraska 
Breanna Miller of Grand Island Senior High School, Grand Island
Rebekah Reynolds of Hastings High School, Hastings  
Delaney Rogers of Arnold High School, Dunning, Nebraska 
Norah Stewart of Pius X High School, Lincoln, Nebraska 
Makenna Sutter of Merino High School, Merino, Colorado 
Scott Scholars were identified and selected through the Walter Scott, Jr. Community Leadership Challenge and Bronco Scholars Day events. 

For the 2024-25 academic year, two Community Leadership Challenge events will be held for high school seniors who have applied and been admitted to Hastings College. The first is scheduled for November 15-17, and the second is January 31-February 2, 2025. Information on the challenge weekends is available at hastings.edu/wsjclc. 

Information on Bronco Scholars Day, which is scheduled for February 23, 2025, can be found at hastings.edu/bsd