In the News

Maci Wallace was a senior at Oshkosh North High School when she learned about scholarship opportunities through the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. Hundreds of scholarships. Thousands of dollars up for grabs. With a goal to not only attend a four-year college but also to earn a master’s degree in counseling, there was no doubt she was going to apply for all that she could.

As a high school senior, it’s not always easy to fully understand the financial burdens of college and the costs associated with furthering your education. “We can hear the numbers and total costs but can’t really put it into perspective with so little life experience,” shared Maci. She received two scholarships through your Community Foundation to help pay for her undergraduate studies, which eased some anxiety about finances and allowed her to take less money out in student loans.

“I remember when I was applying for scholarships in high school and many students didn’t want to apply for any that were $500 or less. They only wanted ones that were in the thousands. But even those ‘smaller’ scholarships add up and any dollar amount helps in the long run. My family did not have the finances to pay for my college out of pocket, and I knew that doing my best to earn scholarships would be one way to help ease that financial burden.”

Maci attended UW Oshkosh and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2012. She then received support from the Laurie Holtmeier Raupp Scholarship Fund for UW Oshkosh students entering the masters in counseling program. Maci completed her master’s in professional counseling, with an emphasis in school counseling, in 2015.

The Laurie Holtmeier Raupp Scholarship Fund is one of many at your Community Foundation that was started to memorialize a loved one. This fund was created in 2010 by Laurie’s mother, Carole, in honor of her late daughter. At the age of 53, Laurie passed from ovarian cancer. She was a Registered Nurse with her master’s in counseling and helped many professionals improve their coping skills as an Employees Assistance Program counselor at Affinity in Oshkosh, now Ascension.

Today, Maci is a counselor at Oshkosh West High School. “My life has really come full circle regarding school and college preparation. Now I’m the one using my experience to share information with students. The Community Foundation makes it easy for students to apply for scholarships, helping alleviate the confusion and frustration that can come along with applying.