Colorado State University has received national accolades for support of a special group: student-veterans. Because of the mutual commitment to support, advance, and invest in veterans from CSU and the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation, the Foundation has made a generous donation to CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences to launch the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation Veterans Scholarship.
The College has a student-veteran population of 3% with the most veterans enrolling in academic programs in the Departments of Health and Exercise Science, Construction Management, and Food Science and Human Nutrition, the focus of the scholarship program.
“Our student-veterans deserve the best education, the best network, and the best support to help them persist, graduate, and go on to have meaningful careers,” said Dean Lise Youngblade. “With the creation of the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation Veterans Scholarship in the College of Health and Human Sciences, CSU and the Freeberg Foundation are partnering together to give our student-veterans the best possible college experience. Through this partnership we are sharing our mutual gratitude to students who have served.”
Robust scholarship support
The robust scholarship program supports annual cohorts of 15 student-veterans in the College with scholarship awards of $6,000 per student per year. The scholarship encourages student-veterans to discover the transferability of their leadership, military experience, and skillsets to the fields of Health and Exercise Science, Construction Management, and Food Science and Human Nutrition.
In addition to generous scholarship support, the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation also invested in a separate fund that provides paid internships and experiential learning opportunities for Freeberg Foundation Scholars. “Internships help bridge the gap from classroom knowledge to applied skills which ultimately leads to greater educational success and future gainful employment.” said Dean Lise Youngblade. The experiences and knowledge gained through internships cannot be duplicated in the classroom. However, many internships are unpaid or are relatively far away, which creates a major hurdle for many student-veterans. Providing Scholars with paid internships helps remove this barrier.
Beginning this academic year 2023-24, fifteen Freeberg Foundation Scholars were selected by the CHHS Scholarship Select Committee: Walker Polhamus, Connor Salem, Caleb Hill, Brent Epler, Mark Rysavy, Tyler Ryan, Rickey Coats, Eric Rolph, Alex Crispe, Lance Poehlein, Victoria Jennings, David Brown, Channing Woods, Dylan Smith, and Lauren Heringer. Students interested in applying for the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation Veteran Scholarship can learn more are the scholarship criteria here.
Read more about five of the cohort of 15 talented Freeberg Foundation Scholars in their own words:
Tyler Ryan – Fermentation Science and Technology
I grew up in South Amboy, New Jersey. Life wasn’t always easy there, but my upbringing taught me the value of hard work and resilience. I served over a decade in the United States Navy as a Nuclear Electricians Mate on a ballistic missile submarine. The experience was challenging but rewarding because of my great division, and it gave me a strong foundation in technical skills and academic drive.
I chose CSU because of its strong reputation in environmental and scientific research. Plus, it has arguably the best Fermentation Science program in the country. It was a no-brainer for me, given my interests in chemistry and fermentation science. In my spare time, I love spending quality moments with my family, taking care of my house plants, and roasting coffee. When I can, I also enjoy traveling to explore new places. On campus, I try to participate in CSU’s chemistry club when I can and contribute to research in Megan Hill’s lab.
Receiving the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation Veterans Scholarship has been a game-changer for me. It allows me to fully focus on my studies without financial stress. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity.
Walker Polhamus – Construction Management
I was born and raised in the small farming community of Sparta, Wisconsin. I spent most of my childhood working with horses and cattle. I also wrestled and competed in rodeos from childhood until the day I enlisted in the military. I served in the Marine Corps as a radio operator from 2016 to 2021.
I did not get a chance to visit any of the colleges in Colorado before moving here, so I relied upon the internet to guide my decisions. CSU had great reviews and I quickly fell in love with the town of Fort Collins. CSU also had a Construction Management program, which sounded like the ideal career path for me. I was also naturally attracted to the construction industry, as the people and culture are similar to the military in several ways.
In my spare time, I enjoy competing in rodeos. My discipline is steer wrestling, and I am hoping to enter the pro scene next year at the Denver Stock Show rodeo. I also love being outdoors, so anything from camping, and backpacking, to archery and big game hunting is where I spend the rest of my time. I am currently doing a community build project for a nonprofit organization in Loveland called Wiley Farms, so I also spend a lot of time out on their property doing volunteer work.
I am incredibly grateful to be a recipient of this scholarship. This scholarship allows me to be a student first and foremost and make my education my main focus. The monetary benefit of the scholarship means I can spend more time studying, helping/mentoring peers, and volunteering in my community rather than working to put myself through college. I cannot even begin to express how positively this scholarship has affected me and how grateful I am to be selected.
Lauren Heringer – Health and Exercise Science
I grew up in Maple Valley, WA which was about 30 minutes south of Seattle. After graduating high school, I joined the Air Force. I have four years of active-duty experience with the United States Air Force, where I served as a Materiel Management Specialist. I decided to study health and exercise science with a focus on health promotion at CSU because I want to go to graduate school and become an Occupational Therapist. The health and exercise science curriculum has given me a solid background in various health topics that will support me in my graduate school endeavors.
During my time in the HES program, I have worked as a volunteer lab assistant in Dr. Brett Fling’s Sensorimotor Neuroimaging Laboratory. Their research focuses on sensory/motor integration as well as how things get disrupted with disabilities like Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease.
Following graduation, I plan to pursue graduate school in Occupational Therapy (ideally at CSU!). I’d eventually like to work with veterans or pediatric clinical populations. In my free time, I work as a hippotherapy volunteer with Hearts and Horses where I focus on equine therapy (Rehabilitative Riding). I help ensure rider safety by following proper protocols and guidelines for each ride.
The Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation Veterans Scholarship has been such a gift. This support allows me to fully focus on my coursework without the worry of financial strain. Because of this scholarship, I’m able to focus on things that truly matter to me. Thank you!
Eric Rolph – Fermentation Science and Technology
I was raised in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in a blue-collar family. I am currently part of the first generation of my family to receive a higher education degree, alongside my brother. Being a first-generation student is something I am proud of and use as a motivator to show my family what is possible. I am lucky to be a part of the Fermentation Science Program, where I can directly apply what I learn in the classroom to my everyday work at a local brewing company in Fort Collins, Rally King Brewing. When I have free time and want to get away from the brewhouse, I enjoy high-country hiking, skiing, powerlifting, and exploring the incredible food and drink scene of northern Colorado.
After my time in the U.S. Navy, I became interested in pursuing a career in commercial brewing. While researching the industry, I quickly came upon CSU’s Fermentation Science and Technology program, where I was immediately overwhelmed by the scale of the program and its academic offerings. I plan to utilize my education to better myself and the brewing industry.
Scholarships like the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation Veterans Scholarship have changed the way I live my life. I am constantly humbled and overwhelmed with appreciation for donors like the Freeberg Foundation who encourage and help students chase their dreams.
Caleb Hill – Construction Management
I grew up in Firestone, Colorado, and graduated from Frederick High School in 2015. I joined the Army in 2017. I served in the Army stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, attached to 2-508th Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne and I deployed to Iraq with that unit in 2020.
When I decided to leave the military, I chose to study construction management because it offers a lot of opportunities for a successful long-term career. In 2021, I began working on a construction management degree at CSU and have two semesters left. Since I grew up in Colorado, I have always loved CSU’s campus and its location. In my free time, I love getting out in Colorado and hiking with my three-year-old golden retriever. I enjoy exercising for health and mobility since I have faced several health issues from my military service.
Scholarships like the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation Veterans Scholarship allow me to focus on school and complete my classes successfully. This financial support is greatly appreciated and helps relieve a lot of stress that would otherwise be present.
About the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation
The Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation was founded in 1990 by the late Don Freeberg and his wife, Lorraine. The foundation supports organizations that are focused on education, healthcare, children, and veterans. Don enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Cadet after high school and earned his wings. In 1946, Don went to the University of Minnesota where he graduated with degrees in electrical engineering and business administration. Family members are alumni of CSU. The new scholarship investment honors Don’s service in the military, and helps support student-veterans who have found their calling in the College of Health and Human Sciences.
About CSU’s commitment to veterans
CSU is committed to creating a world-class educational environment for student-veterans. Over the last several years, CSU has been recognized by the Military Times “Best for Vets” annual ranking as a top 50 rated 4-year institution. Institutions are evaluated for the “Best for Vets” ranking in five categories: university culture, student support, academic policies, academic outcomes/quality, and cost + financial aid. CSU’s high ranking reflects the university’s efforts to make all military veterans feel welcome and help them reach their educational goals.
The Departments of Construction Management, Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Health and Exercise Science are part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
