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Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative on Friday announced several scholarship opportunities:

Luck of The Draw Scholarship:  

Ten scholarships of $1,000 each are available to area high school seniors. Student, parents/legal guardians  must be active members of Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative at the time of the drawing and reside in the cooperative’s service territory. Proof of enrollment as a full-time student in the Fall term of 2022 is required  before the funds will be disbursed to the college. Application and essay form are downloadable at www.fmec.coop and are available from the cooperative office. The deadline to apply is March 11.  The awards will be made by a drawing at the cooperative’s annual meeting on March 26.  

Lineworker Scholarship:  

Two scholarships of $1,000 each for post-secondary training in electrical line work are also offered to students.  Applicants for the Lineworker Scholarship must show acceptance into a lineworker training program or proof of being on a waiting list for the next open enrollment period. Preference will be given to members of Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative and residents of Freeborn and Mower County. Selection criteria will be based on scholastic achievement, school and community involvement, work history and essay submission. Application materials are downloadable from the cooperative’s website or can be obtained from the cooperative’s office. Applicants must complete and submit the scholarship application by May 1. 

Riverland Community College: 

The cooperative also provides scholarship opportunities to Riverland Community College to be awarded to  children of Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative members and adult members of the cooperative who are  returning to school to further their education. To be eligible for a Riverland Community College Scholarship,  the applicant must be a current member of Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative and demonstrate financial  need. Scholarships are available to full-time students in any field. Non-traditional students encouraged to apply. Applications are available from Riverland Community College. 

“One of the seven guiding principles of cooperatives is concern for community. The importance of higher education is clear, so providing scholarships is a wonderful way to strengthen our local communities,” explained Mary Nelson, director of cooperative relations. 

Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative operates as a not-for-profit entity. The cooperative’s margins, the amount of revenue that exceeds expenses, is shared by the cooperative members through its system of capital credits. Capital credits that are undeliverable and unclaimed are used to fund scholarships in accordance with Minnesota statute.

“The scholarships provide a way to return the funds back to the communities from which they were generated. Otherwise, the funds would be forfeited to the state,” Nelson said.   

Questions regarding any of the Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative scholarships can be directed to Lori  Jimenez at lori.jimenez@fmec.coop or by calling 507-379-8852 or 800-734-6421.