Central ND News

Dickinson State University (DSU) continues to prioritize affordability in higher education by offering in-state tuition rates nationwide and maintaining frozen tuition rates over multiple years. The DSU Heritage Foundation (DSU HF) plays a significant role in this effort through its generous donations and fundraising, which provide scholarships to help students achieve their academic goals.

Emma Welch, a sophomore majoring in elementary education from Bowman, North Dakota, is one such student benefiting from these scholarships. Welch received several awards, including an honors scholarship for the Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program (TRHLP), an athletic scholarship, the DSU Hawk Talk scholarship, and the Alice Travers scholarship. The latter is designated for students from Bowman County or Harding County.

"Being able to receive these scholarships is something that I am forever grateful for and I will never take for granted," Welch said. "I have been so blessed with the experience I have had at college, and without these scholarships, my experience could be completely different."

Welch's freshman year involved participating in TRHLP activities that emphasized DSU's core values. She and her friends organized a fundraiser called TEAM TODD to support a local family by creating T-shirts and hosting a pancake feed. This taught her that “Together Hawks Make A Difference,” a lesson she continues to value.

"The supportive community at DSU is something I wish everyone could experience," Welch added. "Being part of such an amazing community is something I will never regret."

Welch has formed lasting connections across campus with professors like Professor Crossingham, Dr. Dragseth, Professor Hoffmann, Dr. Aus; fellow students; as well as familiar faces such as Ty at DSU HF, Victoria at Sodexo, Jason Watson at the BAC, or Luann in the mailroom.

“The people on campus are incredibly supportive,” she noted. “All of these individuals contribute to what makes DSU unique... Coming to DSU was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

Thanks to support from DSU HF and a strong campus community, students like Emma Welch thrive academically and personally during their college journey.