The Riverland Community College Foundation recently set up a new scholarship to honor Stephen Wright, the first valedictorian at Riverland.

Steve Bowron, dean for institutional advancement and Laurie Minehart, associate director of the Riverland Community College Foundation, recently met with Shirley Wright to thank her and her sons George and Charlie for the recent $50,000 donation to the Riverland Community College Foundation to establish a scholarship to honor Wright’s memory.

Stephen Wright was valedictorian of the first graduating class of Riverland Community College (then Austin Junior College) in 1942. Wright served in World War II as a first lieutenant in the Army Air Corps for 16 months in the Pacific. He returned from the war, received his degree in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University, and spent more than 40 years working as an engineer for Hormel plants nationwide. Wright retired from Hormel in 1987.

Wright was also an avid Austin community servant where he was a member of the Park and Recreation Board, Y’s Men and the American Legion. He served as a member and past president of the School Board of Austin Public Schools. Wright died Nov. 22, 2008.

The family’s donation will annually provide two $500 scholarships to Riverland Community College students pursuing Associate of Arts degrees leading to a career in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics with a preference given to students focused on a career in engineering. The first Wright scholarships were awarded last semester to students Hannah Hemann, Stacyville, Iowa, pursuing a career in mathematics education and Brady Waldhauser, Owatonna, Minn., pursuing a career in Biology.

“It has been extra special working with the Wrights on this scholarship since it honors one of the students in the first graduating class of our wonderful community college,” said Steve Bowron, Riverland dean for institutional advancement. “Their generous gift provides a lasting legacy for an extremely successful alumnus.”