Our Scholarship
To promote skill development and leadership in STEM fields among college-bound students in Park County, Big Sky and the greater Gallatin Valley region, the Rieschel Foundation is excited to offer the Rieschel Foundation Scholarship for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
Each spring, the $10,000 Rieschel Foundation Scholarship is granted to one local high school senior who is pursuing higher education in a STEM-related field. The recipient must demonstrate a genuine passion for STEM and a strong commitment to volunteerism in their schools and communities.
2025 Rieschel Foundation Scholarship Recipient - Aika Lanes
“We want to identify and encourage the passions of high school students in STEM fields. We are looking for innovative minds, creative minds, minds that inspire others, students who want to give back to their community. These students can be anything from computer whizzes who trouble-shoot networks for local nonprofits to budding environmental scientists who spend their weekends repairing trails. We are looking for bright students who want to broaden these skills into careers and lasting community impact.”
- Yucca Rieschel, Member of The Rieschel Foundation Board of Directors
Scholarship Details
Award:
A one time award of $10,000 deposited directly to awardee’s enrolled post-secondary program in a 4 year college or trade school.
Candidates:
High school seniors attending public or private schools or equivalent homeschool programs in Gallatin Valley or Park County.
Criteria:
This annual scholarship from the Rieschel Foundation is awarded to one high school senior demonstrating dedication and commitment to the greater Gallatin Valley and Park County communities in the areas of science, technology, engineering, or math. Demonstrated volunteer work or internships in the field are required. This scholarship is merit and passion based. Relatives of members of the Rieschel Foundation’s officers or directors are ineligible to apply.
Important Dates
February 1, 2026
Scholarship application opens
March 1, 2026
Scholarship application closes
March 10, 2026
Notification of declined application or request for letters of recommendation
April 10, 2026
If requested, letters of recommendation due
Spring 2027
We’ll reach out to you for an update on your first year of school
Ready to apply?
Please take note of the following information.
Step 1: Selection Format and Required Information
Round 1: Complete this application thoughtfully, highlighting your passion for the STEM field as well as your involvement in your school or community. The strongest applicants will be selected to advance to Round 2.
Round 2: Applicants will be notified of their application status by March 10. Those selected to advance will be required to submit two letters of recommendation to complete their application. Letters of recommendation are only required for applicants who move on to this round. All letters must be received by April 10, so please inform your references in advance that you may be requesting a recommendation. Your references should be able to speak to your strengths, experience, and interests in STEM, as well as your involvement in your school or community. Instructions for submitting letters of recommendation will be included in the notification sent by March 10.
You will need your cumulative GPA (your average GPA over all 4 years of high school) and your GPA during your senior year. We will also need you to list any courses that you’ve taken within the STEM field.
Step 2: Username and Password
At the top of the application, there is an option to save your progress and resume later. We highly encourage applicants to use this feature to create a username and password. A link to resume your application will be sent to the email provided.
Step 3: Review and Complete
After clicking 'review' a new page will appear revealing your application. We strongly recommend saving this page for your records as you will not be able to reopen your application after submission. At this point you MUST click 'complete' at the bottom of the page in order for your application to be submitted. Our system will automatically send you an email confirmation indicating that the foundation has received your application.
