Community-supported education

Published February 16, 2015 · Updated March 20, 2015

A short list of scholarships offered in the Norwegian-American community

Photo: 401(K) 2012 / Flickr

Grieg Lodge in Portland, Ore.
Grieg Lodge Scholarship Fund will award up to 15 scholarships of $2,000 each this year. These may be used for graduate school, college, community college, trade school, or any educational pursuit. There is no age limit for applicants other than they must be at least a high school senior.

In addition to the scholarship application, their web site has an application for the Bernhard & Johanna Fedde Grant which may be awarded to an individual or group working on a project or event that will benefit and enrich the public in a cultural manner. More info at www.glscholarshipfund.org/GLSF/index.htm.
Deadline: February 28, 2015

Concordia Language Villages Scholarships
The purpose of the Tripp Trapp Fund is to provide scholarship assistance to Skogfjorden villagers seeking to move up in the program. The deciding committee aims to provide financial assistance to villagers wishing to move from Skrellinger (Adventure Day Camp) to one of the overnight programs, one-week sessions to a two- or four-week session, two-week sessions to one of the four-week programs, and Folkehøgskole to Videregående.
Deadline: February 28, 2015

The Norske Torske Klubben Foundation offers scholarships to Norwegian villagers. Applicants must submit a 200-word essay indicating why he or she is interested in Norwegian language and culture. Applicants must also have a sponsor from Norske Torske Klubben.
Deadline: March 7, 2015

Lakselaget
The Lakselaget Scholarship and Opportunity Fund was established to celebrate, encourage, and advance the organization’s motto, women who swim against the current. Its goal is to promote the international connections between Norway and Minnesota, and learn, teach, and share knowledge that will benefit women in their complex roles in today’s society.

Applicants for the Lakselaget Foundation Scholarship Fund should have an interest in contemporary Norway and all things Norwegian, and a desire to develop their own interests in another field, such as the sciences, technology, business, politics, language and culture, and who seek to enhance and disseminate their knowledge.

Applicants for the Lakselaget Foundation Opportunity or Work Study Fund should be in a work situation where a short-term position in a similar job in Norway would be beneficial to their career.

Visit www.lakselaget.org/pages/foundation.html for more information.
Deadline: March 1, 2015

The Norwegian Children’s Home Association in Brooklyn, N.Y.
This organization offers scholarships (grants) to kids with Norwegian heritage who are in college or entering college. Write or call the Norwegian Children’s Home Association for an application. More info at www.norwegianchildrenshome.org.
Deadline: March 1, 2015

The Norwegian National League of Chicago in Chicago, Ill.
The Norwegian National League of Chicago is offering a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to a college-bound high school senior and additional cash prizes to deserving students in first through 11th grades who are of Norwegian heritage residing in the Illinois counties of Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, McHenry, and Will. To qualify, older students must submit an original essay on a Norwegian topic and the students in first through fourth grades must submit an original drawing depicting a Norwegian topic.

Applications and instructions are available on their website at www.nnleague.org or email Tom Maxson at tjmax@wowway.com for information.
Deadline: March 1, 2015

Sons of Norway International
Sons of Norway International offers over $75,000 in scholarships and grants every year. Here are brief descriptions of their seven categories of scholarships and three categories of grants:

Oslo Summer School: For students to experience an eight-week study abroad program at the University of Oslo.
King Olav V Norwegian-American Scholarship: For American students 18 and older to study Norwegian language or culture in the U.S. or Norway, and for Norwegian students 18 or older to study American culture in the U.S.
Helen Tronvold Norwegian Folk High School Scholarship: For students 18 or older to study for an entire school year at one of Norway’s 70 folk high schools.
Astrid Cates/Myrtle Beinhauer: For any post high school study at an accredited school.
Nancy Lorraine Jensen Memorial Scholarship: For female American citizens ages 17-35, studying specific areas of science and engineering.
Lund Fund Scholarship: For American students studying abroad.
Warne-Eng Scholarship: For American or Canadian students with one full year of college-level work and acceptance to an educational institution in Norway for undergraduate work.
General Heritage and Culture Grants for promoting the heritage and culture of traditional or modern Norway through community festivals, cultural exchange programs, research projects, instructional videos, books, etc.
Local Lodge Partnership Grants for lodge sponsored cultural events, including cultural fairs, hosting visiting groups, cultural skills classes, books for lodge libraries, etc.
Helping Hands to Children Grants support Adopt a School, Barnas Norsk Klubb, Children’s Folk Dancing Groups, Junior Lodges, Heritage Camps, and special programs for youth.

Please visit www.sonsofnorway.com/foundation to view the guidelines, deadline dates and applications for all of our grants and scholarships. All scholarships aside from the Kong Olav V scholarship require the candidate, or parent/grandparent of the candidate, to be a current member of Sons of Norway.
Deadlines: Vary. Most are March 1.

Leif Erikson Lodge No. 1, Sons of Norway, Education Foundation
Leif Erikson Lodge in Seattle, Wash. announces the following 2015 scholarships.

Camp Normanna or Camp Nidaros Endowed LEL Scholarship Award with the Youth Camp Program for District 2, Sons of Norway, provides the recipient with a scholarship for 25% of the fee for the camps. Camp Normanna is near Everett, Washington, and Camp Nidaros is near Seaside, Oregon.
Camp Trollhaugen Endowed LEL Scholarship Award with the Youth Camp Program for District 2, Sons of Norway, provides the recipient with a scholarship for 25% of the camp’s fee.
Douglas Warne Vocational Scholarship will award a scholarship to a person 18-25 attending or planning on attending an accredited technical, trade, or vocational program in Washington State. The amount of the award for 2015 will be $1,500.
Queen and Princess Scholarship Program awards two young women enrolled or accepted to an accredited institution who represent the lodge as its Queen and Princess an award of $1,000 or $400 respectively. The winners will represent Leif Erikson Lodge 2-001, Sons of Norway, in at least five events of their choosing during the year.
Youth Camp Instructor/Counselor Grant for persons who can provide a positive camp experience for young people participating in the District Two Sons of Norway Youth Camp Program.
Youth Leadership Award is for one young person 18-25 planning on attending an institution of higher learning or trade school. The amount of the award is $1,000.

Applications are available at Leif Erikson Hall, 2245 NW 57th Street, Seattle WA 98107. Visit leiferiksonlodge.com for more information.
Deadline: March 31, 2015

Norwegian Commercial Club in Seattle
The Norwegian Commercial Club is offering scholarships through its Scholarship Fund. There will be four awards totaling up to about $18,000.

The first is for a $5,000 cash-only award sent to the educational institute of the award recipient.
The second award for $5,000 total includes the cash award and one round trip airline ticket to Oslo, Norway, for study in Scandinavia. This ticket is supported by IcelandAir.
The third award for $5,000 is an NCC Fisheries Scholarship available to high school seniors or graduate students seeking to pursue a career in fisheries management or fisheries research in the Pacific Northwest or Alaska, or to students in fishery technical schools, such as the Maritime Academy.
The fourth scholarship is The Douglas Warne University of Oslo International Summer School Scholarship toward tuition and expenses for the International Summer School at the University of Oslo. The ISS scholarship is limited to students who live or attend school in Washington.

Visit www.norwegiancommercialclub.com/nccscholarshipfund/programapplication.html for more information.
Deadline: April 5, 2015

Minnesota Office of Higher Education
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) provides stipends on a first-come, first-served basis, to cover all or a portion of the direct cost for students in grades 3-11 to attend eligible summer academic enrichment programs. The Summer Enrichment stipend will cover the cost of the summer program and transportation up to a maximum amount of $1,000. Minnesota residents eligible for free or reduced priced lunches and meeting the grade requirement are eligible.
Deadline: April 15, 2015

Daughters of Norway Grand Lodge
The Grand Lodge Daughters of Norway offers scholarships to full-time college, university, technical, or vocational students who are either a member, or related to a member of the Daughters of Norway. Details follow on other requirements. The number of awards varies with the funds, but at least one award of $1,000 is offered each year, with a second award in convention years. Application forms are also sent to Subordinate Lodge secretaries, who have them available for members during the spring months.

Visit www.daughtersofnorway.org/about/scholarships/ for more information.
Deadline: July 15, 2015

The American Scandinavian Foundation
ASF offers fellowships (up to $23,000) and grants (up to $5,000) to individuals to pursue research, study, or creative arts projects in Scandinavia for up to one year. Applicants must have a well-defined research or study project that makes a stay in Scandinavia essential. Applicants must have completed their undergraduate education by the start of their project in Scandinavia.

Visit www.amscan.org/grants_americans.html to apply.
Deadline: Nov. 1, 2015

This article originally appeared in the Feb. 20, 2015, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.