Wallin Scholarship Program helps students succeed
U of M Wallin Scholarship Program Scholars Blia Yang (back row left) and Thouni Seneyakone (back row right) are pictured with Win and Maxine Wallin at the reception.
Blia Yang of St. Paul and Thouni Seneyakone of Minneapolis were among the Wallin Scholarship Program scholars honored at the University of Minnesota on Oct. 3, 2007. In addition to just providing scholarship money, the Wallin Scholarship Program also supports the students through guidance, motivation and mentoring throughout their college career.
Seneyakone, a graduate of Minneapolis Patrick Henry High School, served as Master of Ceremonies for the reception and expressed how much the scholarship has meant for her development as a student.
“The Wallin scholarships fund my college education and also grant me an opportunity to work for the Foundation as well, in which I absolutely loved,” she said. “I thank them everyday, and everyday I work hard to prove that their money is not going to a waste.”
Seneyakone also takes time to volunteer with Lao-America Organization, which provides services for Southeast Asian community in North Minneapolis. She is also involved with the U of M Lao Student Association.
“I am proud to say that I am Lao-American,” Seneyakone said. “I have done my services for the community and will continue to do so in the future.”
Blia Yang volunteered at Cedar Riverside Community School through America Reads to help students in their literacy skills during my freshman year. During her sophomore year, she was also a volunteer at Phalen Lake Elementary and the Southeast Asian Community Council to help students in academic progress while she was at Benjamin E. Mays for her teaching practicum.
She is currently a volunteer for the Minnesota Literacy Council in Northeast Minneapolis to help adults with English.
“The Wallin Scholarship not only helped me financially, it has given me support and encouragement for my success in college,” said Yang, the vice president of the Hmong Student Association of Minnesota. “It opened my eyes to reach out to the community and be connected.”
The Wallin Scholarship Program was instituted in 1992 at Minneapolis South High School by South High graduate and former president of Pillsbury, CEO and chairman emeritus of Medtronic, Win Wallin and his wife, Maxine Houghton Wallin. The scholarship program extended to all Minneapolis public high schools in 2000.
The Wallin Program preaches the importance of giving back to your community and both Yang and Seneyakone are following that example.
“The Wallin has motivate me to succeed; they pushed me to a realization that there are potentials and talents in every one of us: we just need the right guidance,” Seneyakone said. “The Wallins have been my white light that guided me through the dark tunnels.”
In May 2007 the program included Anoka-Hennepin Public School students and continues to evolve with the addition of other scholarship partners. Through the generous contribution of donors, more than 1,800 scholarships have been awarded since 1992, totaling more than $20 million. This year’s scholarship recipients each receive $4,000 a year for four years, for a total $16,000. The foundation currently sponsors about 260 scholars at the University of Minnesota.
