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Three North Dakota State College of Science students are among the 124 recipients of $675,000 in 2024 Work Ethic Scholarships from the Mike Rowe Works Foundation.

Jacob Berndt, Hannah Myers and Brayden Schmeichel follow in the footsteps of five NDSCS students who received scholarships in fall 2023. The previous honorees were Stockton Buck, Walter Guse, Trever Severinsen, Koby Valentin and Mark Weimer.

The Mike Rowe Works Foundation, which is launching its next scholarship cycle in 2024, expects much from applicants. This includes enrolling in an approved program, signing the “S.W.E.A.T. Pledge,” answering four questions about the pledge, making a video, having two solid references from a teacher or boss, verifying school costs, providing high school or college transcripts and sending the most 1040 tax form.

“We’re on a mission to help close the skills gap by challenging the stigmas and stereotypes that discourage people from pursuing the millions of available jobs,” the foundation stated. “We’re redefining the definition of a good education and a good job, because we don’t think a four-year degree is the best path for the most people. We want people to understand the impact of skilled labor on their lives, and we’re convinced that the solution has to start with a new appreciation for hard work.”

These are Berndt, Myers and Schmeichel’s stories.

Jacob Berndt

• “My dad has his own machine shop out in Mooreton,” said Berndt, 19, a first year precision machining major from Wahpeton. “I like precision machining. I think it’s pretty cool. My dad went here and went through the same program as I am going through now.”

• Berndt hopes to one day succeed his dad Chris in the family business. “It’s pretty cool to do what he did,” Jacob Berndt said.

• “I heard about the scholarship from my dad,” Berndt said. “He pushed me to complete that application. It did take forever to do the work — I didn’t want to do the video, but I did.” This made Berndt learning that he received the scholarship much more exciting.

• Freshman year has been fun for Berndt. “I feel like I’m always learning something that I’m going to use later in my life,” he said. When he’s not in class, Berndt enjoys hunting and fishing.

• Berndt is looking back with some respect for the long hours needed to get his $3,500 scholarship. “It’s definitely worth it,” he said.

Hannah Myers

• “I graduated early from high school,” said Myers, 17, a first year electrical technology major from Garrison, North Dakota. “I mentioned electrical technology to my grandma, because my coworkers were talking about it, and she had me tour here.”

• After graduation, Myers hopes to work until she becomes journeyman. “That’s all I have for now,” she said.

• Myers heard about the Rowe Scholarship through her grandmother, Elaine Myers. Hannah Myers admitted that she almost gave up on her application because of how much was required. “But, I pushed through,” she said.

• School has been going well for Myers, she said. She enjoys hanging out with friends and participating in campus activities, whether it’s playing games together or going to all-school events.

• The recipient of a $5,000 scholarship, Myers advises curious students to “just push through and submit your application.”

Brayden Schmeichel

• “Reviews of NDSCS that I had read said how teachers and students treated one another like family,” said Schmeichel, 20, a second year construction management major from Jamestown, North Dakota. “I wanted to go to school where I could make some new friends.”

• Schmeichel plans to spend the winter semester lining up work for after graduation. “I want to work my way up the ladder,” he said.

• The 2024 Work Ethic Scholarship appealed to Schmeichel because of the importance it places on one’s work ethic, which he likes.

• Schmeichel is enjoying his major and learning more about the construction industry. Construction is something he has enjoyed since boyhood and also a good fit for his interest in leadership.

• The recipient of a $1,500 scholarship, Schmeichel said he applied early and worked in portions. “I was excited to win this,” he said.

• “If you are a person who will wake up early in the morning, go to your job, have a goal for the day and are willing to put in some extra hours for that goal, I think this scholarship is perfect for you. Take your time when applying for it,” Schmeichel said.

• When he’s not in class, Schmeichel enjoys hanging out with “some really great lifetime friends that I’ve met here.”

Daily News shares Jacob Berndt, Hannah Myers and Brayden Schmeichel’s thanks for receiving the Mike Rowe Works Foundation’s 2024 Work Ethic Scholarship. We also congratulate the three youth and the quintet of 2023 Work Ethic Scholarship winners, wishing all much continued success, especially in the Southern Red River Valley.

Article published by Frank Stanko at Wahpeton Daily News on January 15, 2024. 

Brayden Schmeichel, a Construction Management Technology student at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS), has been named a 2024 New Century Workforce Scholar and will receive a $1,500 scholarship.

This scholarship program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, and supports students at associate degree-granting institutions on a national scale. Students nominated for the Workforce Pathway should be planning to enter the workforce after completing a certificate or associate degree.

New Century Workforce Pathway Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, activities, and how they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. Over 2,200 applications were received from students in more than 1,300 college campuses across the country. Only one New Century Workforce Scholar was selected from each state.

Brayden’s selection was based on the score he earned in the All-USA Academic Team Competition, where he was the top-scoring student from North Dakota. Brayden has also served as the Vice President of Service for the NDSCS PTK chapter and helps organize their service learning projects. As a Construction Management Technology student, Brayden recently represented NDSCS at the International Builders Show ® (IBS) in Las Vegas, NV with his classmates.

“Brayden is very deserving of this recognition” said Erin Johnson, the NDSCS Phi Theta Kappa advisor, “I have watched Brayden embrace new leadership roles within our academic honor society and in other campus activities. He is a great representative of our NDSCS student body and demonstrates how students becoming active on campus builds skills and opportunities for their future.”

NDSCS has a long-standing tradition of New Century Scholars, and is proud to count Brayden among the list of high-achieving students that come out of our institution.

Brayden and the other New Century Scholars from around the United States will be recognized in the fall.

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is proud to announce that thirty-six NDSCS Collegiate DECA members competed at the 2024 North Dakota Collegiate DECA Conference on February 21st and 22nd.

This annual competition brings together some of North Dakota's best and brightest business students from eight different colleges to compete in various business case study events.

Students were entered into one individual event and were also paired up in a team competition. In both experiences, the students were presented with a real-world business problem and then asked to solve the scenario in front of judges. Area Fargo/Moorhead business professionals served as judges for this event. 

NDSCS Collegiate DECA had 28 members qualify to compete at the 2024 International Career Development Conference in Austin, Texas in April.

Top award winners in individual events include:

• Emma Hagemeister (1^st Place) Sales Management and Leadership Event
• Wyatt Rittenhouse (2^nd Place) Retail Management
• Natalia Nazario (2^nd Place) Entrepreneurship Operations
• Madison Hagan (3^rd Place) Travel and Tourism 
• Adnan Rahman (3^rd Place) Entrepreneurship Operations
• Triton Kaercher (3^rd Place) Financial Accounting
• Lucas Allen (3^rd Place) Hotel and Lodging
• Moriah Blazek (3^rd Place) Human Resource Management

Top Team Event Winners Include:

• Kylie Geray and Emma Hagemeister (2nd Place) Business-to-Business Marketing
• Ava Bladow and Corissa Lang (2nd Place) Business Ethics
• Myah Jelinek, Natalia Nazario (2nd Place) Entertainment Marketing
• Lauren Oster and Savannah Puetz (2nd Place) Event Planning
• Moriah Blazek and Taylor Slominski (2nd Place) Marketing Communications
• Lucas Allen and Mathias Kackman (3rd Place) Marketing Communications

Gregory Anderson, the faculty advisor for NDSCS Collegiate DECA, commented “I was pleasantly surprised at how well our students performed. As is usually the case, almost all NDSCS Collegiate DECA members are first-year students who have never competed before, going against seasoned juniors and seniors from four-year colleges who have experienced both state and national competitions. For our students to do well, they had to display a certain level of confidence, and I think that is what showed. I will be very proud to see a number of qualifiers take the next step at the International Conference in Austin, Texas.”

Go Wildcats! NDSCS Men’s Basketball is hosting the Region XIII Tournament on March 2-3, 2024 at the Clair T. Blikre Activities Center on the NDSCS Wahpeton campus.

With an impressive conference record of 19-1 (28-1 overall), NDSCS Men’s Basketball is the #1 seed, and will be playing on their home court. NDSCS Women’s Basketball will play their Region XIII tournament in Williston, as they are the #2 seed with a conference record of 16-4 (23-6 overall).

These exciting games will be held Saturday, March 2nd at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., with the Championship game on Sunday, March 3rd at 4 p.m. We invite the entire community to get involved and fill the stands for these games. Free admission will be offered for area high school students from Wahpeton, Breckenridge, Fairmount, Hankinson, Richland 44, Lidgerwood, and Wyndmere.

Join us to cheer on Wildcat Basketball as strive to advance towards the National Championship tournament! Let’s paint the stands with Wildcat spirit!