Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) and the OTEC Member Foundation are proud to announce that 24 local students have been selected to receive 2024 OTEC academic scholarships. Twenty $5,000 academic scholarships have been awarded to graduating high school students and returning college students.
Additionally, for the fifth consecutive year, four local students were awarded the OTEC-EOU Rural Scholarship. This scholarship pays all tuition and fees for all four years at Eastern Oregon University if the student commits to graduating from EOU.
“We are very excited to continue this incredible partnership between OTEC and Eastern Oregon University,” said Lea Hoover, Executive Director of the OTEC Member Foundation and OTEC’s Director of Member and Strategic Services. “By allocating four of our scholarships to this program and leveraging a matched investment from EOU, we can invest into our local communities directly, support local students, and return value to OTEC member-owners through the OTEC internship projects which the students complete throughout their 4 years at EOU.”
The OTEC Member Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation which oversees OTEC’s charitable giving programs, including scholarships. These programs support OTEC member-owners, their families, and communities in Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties.
OTEC’s Manager of Communications, Shane Stenquist, said, “OTEC wishes to congratulate all of the 2024 academic scholarship recipients, we are proud to reward these students for their hard work and we look forward to seeing their future accomplishments.” Stenquist added, “The selection process this year was extremely competitive; the applicants academic success and service in their communities was quite impressive. As a private, non-profit co-op, OTEC is guided by the Seven Cooperative Principles, one of which is, ‘Commitment to Community.’ These scholarships are one way in which OTEC gives back to the communities we serve.”
Applicants for scholarships must be an active OTEC member or a dependent or tenant of an OTEC member to be eligible for scholarships. Scholarships are funded from unclaimed capital credits.
2024 OTEC Academic Scholarship Recipients -
2024 OTEC-EOU Rural Scholarship Program:
Kade Rudi, Baker High School
Dakota Anderson, Elgin High School
Grace Johnson, Burns High School
Ethan Thompson, Dayville School
2024 Graduating High School Senior and Returning College Student/Adult Scholarship Recipients:
Baker County
Graduating high school seniors: Ryann Paulsen, Baker High School; Axel Marvin, Baker High School; Hunter Bingham, North Powder High School.
Returning college students: Neah Thomas, Jake Cuzick.
Grant County
Graduating high school seniors: Abbie Justice, Grant Union High School; Bailey McCracken, Grant Union High School.
Returning college students: Parker Manitsas, Carson Weaver.
Harney County
Graduating high school seniors: Ayla Davies, Burns High School; Liam McLain, Burns High School.
Returning college students: Tayleur Baker, Reese Rothwell.
Union County
Graduating high school seniors: Lydia Hasbell, Elgin High School; Ayla Bingham, North Powder High School; Avery Myer, La Grande High School; Mason Wolcott, La Grande High School; Avie Durrant, La Grande High School
Returning college students: Arie Farnam, Katie Perry.
Learn more about OTEC’s scholarships, charitable giving and the cooperative principles at our website, www.otec.coop.
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About the cooperative
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative that serves nearly 60,000 residents in four counties in Eastern Oregon. Headquartered in Baker City, OTEC has district offices in Burns, John Day, and La Grande.