Five Southeast seniors out of the 21 SES students who tested on Sept 11 have earned the privilege to vie for a Dane Hansen scholarship as they interview on Feb 11. 

The students selected are Madeline Blake, Alyssa Johnson, Braedon McVay, Jocelyn Pembleton, and Luke Van Tassel.

These students will travel to Logan, Kansas for an interview to determine whether they will get a scholarship and if they do, the amount of the scholarship. However, those not granted any scholarship money will be provided a $100 travel allowance for navigating to Logan and back. 

Dane Hansen was an entrepreneur who established many successful businesses through which he accumulated money, and now his estate provides scholarships through a foundation.

The foundation offers a variety of scholarship opportunities for students graduating from high school in any of the 26 counties in Northwest Kansas. Saline County is included.

Hansen scholarships are only applicable if students attend an in-state college, which has caused some of the SES Hansen interview recipients to reconsider their college choices. 

“I’ve always thought that I was going to college out of state, but if I got the $10,000 scholarship I’d seriously consider going to KU,” Luke Van Tassel said. 

Although the students are not guaranteed scholarship money, they are excited to be among the small group chosen for an interview. 

“I think the goal everyone has is to come out of college debt-free, so I am incredibly grateful for even the chance to get a scholarship from their foundation,” Madeline Blake said.