Patrick Denne Scholarship


 

Remembering Patrick Denne

Many people involved with rural water in North Dakota at one time or another came into contact with Patrick Denne. For 20 years, he served as the water Circuit Rider for the North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association, and his travels amounted to about 750,000 miles to every corner of the state.

His mission was to provide technical assistance to drinking water systems in North Dakota. His dedicated service was evident in his willingness to provide that assistance anywhere or anytime it was needed. Oftentimes, this took him away from home on weekends and for many days at a time if necessary, but it also allowed him to witness the incredible growth of rural water systems as few others in North Dakota did.

Denne died peacefully, at his home in West Fargo surrounded by family, on April 4, 2004 following a short, but courageous battle with cancer. He was 53 years old. The NDRWSA strives to keep his memory alive through the Patrick Denne Memorial Scholarship.

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Who should apply?

Any child or grandchild of a current city/rural water system employee or elected city/rural water system official (water system must be a current member of ND Rural Water Systems Association).

OR

The applicant must be enrolled or planning to enroll in Bismarck State College’s Water and Wastewater Technology program. Student must have (a) successfully completed one complete semester of the program and earned a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) over the term; and (b) carry a minimum of 12 credit hours in the semester they are seeking a scholarship.

Entry Requirements

The applicant must submit the following:

  • Official application form
  • Transcript of past 2 years of high school education and/or college education
  • Paragraph summarizing career goals
  • List of extracurricular/leadership activities
  • A brief essay (400-500 words) on the importance of the water industry
  • Jpeg photo of the applicant with a resolution of 300 dpi or more

Support Provided

Up to $1,500 per recipient will be awarded. The award is to be used to defray the costs of tuition, books, room and board.

Application Deadline

Completed applications for the Patrick Denne Memorial Scholarship must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm CST, April 1, 2024. 

Award Requirements

The full amount of the scholarship will be paid upon verification of admittance to an accredited institution of higher learning or transcript indicating Water & Wastewater Technology program requirements.

Selection Criteria

A selection committee will evaluate the applicants and select the scholarship recipients based on career goals, leadership activities, financial need, and an essay. Applicants will be considered without regard to age, color, gender, race, creed or country of origin.  Preference will be given to North Dakota residents.

For more information on the scholarship or to contribute to the scholarship, contact NDRWSA. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2024.