UND and the Minnesota Vikings partner for unique scholarship program

The Minnesota Vikings will award a $10,000 “Vikings + UND Scholarship” to one deserving student interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UND.

The scholarship is available for an incoming freshman in 2012.  The recipient will be selected from applicants based on their high school GPA and standardized test scores, as well as a 1,000-word personal statement highlighting their career goals, achievements, overcoming adversity and what the opportunity to study at UND would mean to their future. Applications will be accepted at http://UND.edu/Vikings from Aug. 1 through Dec. 1. The scholarship recipient and family will be in attendance for the Jan. 1, 2012, Vikings game vs. Chicago. The scholarship will be awarded during pre-game activities at Mall of America Field.

“We are honored that the Vikings are sponsoring a scholarship at the University of North Dakota. This is a great opportunity for a future UND student,” said President Robert O. Kelley. “In these difficult economic times, scholarships play a significant role in getting a college education. Therefore, we applaud the Vikings organization for being so committed to promoting the value of higher education. We are confident that UND will provide this scholarship recipient with a tremendous foundation and many opportunities for a bright future.”

“We have such a strong fan base that overlaps with alumni, friends and prospective students of the University of North Dakota,” said Steve LaCroix, Vikings vice president of sales and marketing/chief marketing officer. “The impact that UND graduates have had on the quality of life in Vikings country and worldwide is remarkable. We wanted to help another great student fulfill their dreams of learning at UND and we hope this scholarship will give them a big head start on their career goals.”

— David L. Dodds, media relations/writer and editor, University Relations, 777-5529, david.dodds@email.und.edu.