BROOKINGS – First Bank & Trust is passionate about education, for both its employees and their customers. 

While all levels of education are priceless, First Bank & Trust understands the investment and possible financial strain going to college brings. To assist with tuition, First Bank & Trust has chosen seven exceptional students to receive scholarships. Anna Bishop, Eleanor Abraham, Emily Nold, Emily Rystrom, Joyce Wu, Katie Osbeck and Reese Hirrschoff have been selected as the 2020 First Bank & Trust scholarship winners. 

Each will receive a $500 scholarship for college expenses. First Bank & Trust matches funds from the South Dakota Bankers Foundation to provide scholarships to these individuals for their postsecondary education.

“We were incredibly impressed with the drive, passion, and commitment to both their academics and extracurricular activities that this year’s recipients have shown,” said Tom Fishback, Market President of First Bank & Trust, Brookings. “We couldn’t be more honored to reward their excellence.”

The recipients will start or continue their postsecondary education at the following institutes in the fall: Anna Bishop will attend South Dakota State University, majoring in Pharmacy. Eleanor Abraham will be an Oceanography major at the United States Naval Academy. South Dakota State University is Emily Nold’s new home this fall as she majors in Agriculture Business and Leadership. Emily Rystrom has also chosen South Dakota State University and will major in Exercise Science.

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities will welcome Joyce Wu this fall as she majors in Psychology on a pre-med path. Katie Osbeck will start at Indiana Wesleyan University as she majors in Mathematics. Reese Hirrschoff will be a mechanical engineering major at South Dakota State University.