M. Judith Schmidt Memorial Scholarship

The M, Judith Schmidt Memorial Scholarship was established to encourage and support students that are an English Education major and active in theatre or speech activities. The spirit of this award is to continue Judy’s legacy of inspiring students to love great literature, live theater and the arts. Through this scholarship, Judy’s family, friends and former students believe her legacy can continue through the future educators and champions of the arts.

Criteria

Each recipient must be an undergraduate student enrolled full-time at Winona State University/12 credits or more per semester
Each recipient must be an English Education major and active in theatre or speech activities
Each recipient must be classified as a Junior or Senior at the time of the award
Each recipient must maintain a minimum cumulative g.p.a. of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Each recipient must write a one page essay on the teacher who most influenced their lives

Biography/Motivation

Judy graduated from Cotter High School, Winona State University and continued her education to attain two masters degrees. She started her teaching career at Loretto High School, Caledonia, MN, and then spent 32 years at Houston Public Schools, retiring in 1999. She was later an instructor in the masters of education program at St. Mary’s University, Winona, teaching future teachers.

Judy was a beloved English and Speech teacher. She served students as the play director, speech coach, and cheerleader advisor. Judy was well known in the area for the countless number of theater productions she directed. She produced shows at Houston High School and community theaters in Houston, Austin and Winona. Always civic-minded, with a passion for her community, she served on the Houston City Council for 12 years. She was a finalist for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Judy was also appointed by the Governor to the Minnesota State Arts Board and served as its chair. She worked in Congressmen Tim Penny’s office in Washington DC as a part of the Teacher / Intern Program. Judy was also awarded grants by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. A strong advocate of the arts, Judy served on the Commonweal Theatre Board in Lanesboro and was a contributor to the Great River Shakespeare Festival. Judy was also an avid bridge player and served as president of the Westfield Bridge Club.

Her loyal commitment to family and community provided abundance. She was the hostess with the mostess literally and metaphorically making room for everyone at her table. Her passion for teaching and learning radiated from within her heart to the hearts of everyone with whom she came into contact.

Judy had a natural ability to get and hold the attention of a crowd, was the pied-piper of children, and an advocate for the underdog. She loved fiercely and unconditionally with a generous heart. The ultimate communicator, she greatly respected the individual, truly listened to each persons story, and nurtured and encouraged them to pave their own path in life.

Among Judys many legacies: she inspired generations of students to love great literature, live theater and the arts; helped people find their voices and to follow their dreams; she believed in people and had the absolute ability to cause even non-believers to believe in themselves; she would break into her rendition of Old Man River at the drop of a hat and the song was not just on her lips it was in her heart.

As a visionary, she saw the hope for tomorrow, and she had the natural ability to collaborate with others to bring dreams to fruition. To that end she championed a new flood control system for the community of Houston by working with Congressman Penny and the Corp of Engineers while serving on the Houston City Council.

For those of us closest to her, we know that her real gift was the nurturing and love of her family. We have only to look at the faces of her grandchildren to see her legacy live. Not only was she loved, she was abundantly loved in return.

Judys family started the M. Judith Schmidt Memorial Scholarship to continue Judy’s encouragement and nurturing of teachers who not only value education, but also the importance of the arts as a necessary component of learning. The arts, whether through writing, creating or performing, offered so much more than exposure to the world beyond the classroom; it often became an avenue for students to express and connect to the world through their own skills, sometimes untapped, making learning a joy, a lifelong habit. This was Judy’s legacy, to instill confidence in her students while inspiring the joy of learning with challenges to the mind and heart. Through this scholarship, Judy’s family, friends, and former students believe her legacy can continue through the future educators and champions of the arts.