University celebrates students, donors’ generosity during annual ‘Powering Dreams’ event

University celebrates students, donors' generosity during annual 'Powering Dreams' event

Northwest Missouri State University students came face-to-face Friday with the alumni and friends who support them through their contributions to University scholarships during the annual "Powering Dreams" celebration of donors and scholars at the Agricultural Learning Center.

The celebration provides an opportunity for students to thank donors for their investment while exchanging stories about their experiences at Northwest and their career goals.

"It's very important to know that we're putting our heads and our hearts together in gratitude of a teachable moment," Mike Johnson, the vice president of university advancement and executive director of the Northwest Foundation Inc., said. "Philanthropic partnerships aren't just within all of us, but when you experience the head and heart of a student and their gratitude and what they're going through, it comes together in a beautiful way."

Through a series of live and video testimonies, scholarship recipients shared the ways donor support lessens the burden of paying for college and helps them attain their degree goals.

Among the scholarship recipients who shared their voice on Friday was Sydney Bentz, a senior agricultural media major from Burlington, Iowa. Bentz is a recipient of the Agrivision Equipment Scholarship, which has helped fuel her passion for agriculture and desire to contribute to the field.

"My goal is to debunk the myths and stereotypes that revolve around agriculture," Bentz said. "I would love to be an advocate or a communication representative for a meat-producing company. I wish to bridge the gap that lies between producer and consumer. I want to help every consumer understand where their food comes from."

Despite not growing up on a farm, Bentz also said the scholarship award solidified her decision to pursue her degree at Northwest, where its School of Agricultural Sciences emphasizes profession-based learning and offers valuable opportunities to learn among peers with similar interests.

"Achieving awards such as this one instills a confidence in myself that I am on the right track," Bentz said. "This award goes far beyond its monetary value. It means that I'm not falling behind my traditional ag peers."

Keegan Peterson, a senior public accounting major from Chillicothe, Missouri, received the Hancock-Woods Scholarship and the Kenneth D. Griggs Accounting Scholarship. Like Bentz, those scholarships funded by private donors have helped instill confidence in his pursuit.

"There's a lot of times I encounter challenges from studying accounting," Peterson said. "It makes me second-guess myself, but when I remember that somebody believes in me that I've never met, it gives me the confidence to overcome those challenges."

For Peyton Blankman, a junior early childhood education major from Plattsmouth, Nebraska, the Piveral Wake Mitchell Scholarship makes it possible for her to attend Northwest. Simultaneously, Blankman works two to three jobs to fund her education and continue gaining the experience she needs in Northwest's Horace Mann Laboratory School.

"This scholarship has provided the opportunity for me to continue my education at Northwest, and that's just a big honor to me because the Northwest education program is so incredible," Blankman said. "I'm so grateful I get to be a part of it."

Gracie Smith, a sophomore studio art major from Norwalk, Iowa, received the Richard Allman & Margaret Peterson 3D Art Scholarship, Bearcat Advantage and a Distinguished Scholarship. Smith encouraged others to consider supporting future students by giving to scholarships, which she said offer "even a little bit of relief" in times of need.

"Scholarships like this matter because you truly never know what people are going through, meaning you never know how much something like these scholarships may help," Smith told the crowd gathered for Friday's event. "Every single student in this room right now is here for a reason. Each one of us has dreams and goals we wish to achieve, and these scholarships make it so that many of these dreams are able to be attained."

Scholarship support remains a central mission of the Northwest Foundation, which funded more than 1,400 scholarship awards for Northwest students during the last fiscal year. Scholarship funding through the Foundation during FY25 totaled nearly $1.4 million, while the average scholarship amount awarded from donor-funded scholarships during the year was $974.

For more information about ways to contribute to scholarships or make a gift to support Northwest, contact the Office of University Advancement at 660.562.1248 or [email protected].