Verlin Hinsz
Family, faith, and education are very important parts of life. They are important values instilled by our parents.
Being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences. Parenting requires a commitment to the child and sometimes making sacrifices to do what is best for their child.
For many single parents, going or returning to school to pursue a college degree is often not financially feasible. Nor do single parents wish to spend less time with their children.
Because of the value of education instilled in us, as our children grew older, they implicitly knew that it was not a question of whether or not they would attend university. The question for them was which university they would be attending. That is the legacy we have for our children and hope that it is one this scholarship provides the recipients and their children.
Our wish is that single parent recipients of this scholarship will be provided the opportunity to pursue their education and not be forced to forego college education due to the financial hardships accompanying being a single parent. Continuing one’s education reaps many rewards. It is easier to get a two-year degree with fewer challenges, but a four-year degree (or higher) will provide an achievement that you can proudly put on your resume as you seek a more financially secure career.
Impact
Our father was an applied scientist. He grew up on a family farm. Although he could have become an engineer, or pursued some other application of science to agriculture, his interests tended to focus on farm animals.
When our father was 16 years old, he had to drop out of high school to take on important duties and responsibilities on the family farm when his father became sick and eventually died. Our father’s formal education ended. He never had a chance to pursue a college education at North Dakota Agricultural College. Yet, over the years, he acquired a variety of books that he would study. These books focused on farm animal husbandry.
In honor and in memory of our father, we want to foster students’ interests and passion for animal husbandry of farm animals. In this way, students may have the opportunity for a college education that eluded our father, Eugene R. Hinsz.