Melvin & Lois Kirkland Scholarship

The Melvin and Lois Kirkland Scholarship is created to give assistance to students who aspire to teach, have a passion for learning, desire to energize young minds, and seek to become a distinguished teacher. Students should be undergraduates enrolled full-time at WSU.

Criteria

Each applicant must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0
Each applicant must have financial need
Each applicant must demonstrate ability and promise in the field of education and declared Education major
Each applicant must be an undergraduate student; sophomore, junior or senior enrolled full-time (i.e., minimum of twelve credits per semester) at Winona State University

Biography/Motivation

Melvin L. Kirkland and Lois M. Kirkland shared a long life as educators after earning degrees from Winona State University. Together they established a scholarship for aspiring teachers at their alma mater.

Melvin, who is from West Concord, Minnesota, and Lois, who grew up in Little Falls, came to Winona in 1947 right after they were married. Melvin earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial arts in 1949 while Lois received her associate’s degree the same yea and her bachelors degree in Elementary Education in 1956.

The couple shared their life together as educators, teaching primarily in the Seattle, Washington, public schools. Melvin taught special education for over 30 years, while Lois enjoyed a long career as an elementary school teacher.

Both Melvin and Lois loved to travel, and after a friend first encouraged them to visit Hawaii, they spent every Christmas holiday on the islands since 1959. When they both retired in 1979, the couple moved to Honolulu. They traveled extensively, circling the world twice and taking trips halfway around seven times.

Melvin and Lois left an estate gift for WSU for students seeking a degree in Education.

Melvin and Lois value learning; they care deeply about students and about the future of society. Together they shared a life of educating young men and women. Their love of teaching has left a valuable legacy not only for the students whose lives they touched but for the generations that follow.

The Melvin L. and Lois M. Kirkland Scholarship Fund will continue the legacy and the fine tradition of educational excellence that the Kirkland’s began.