The John B. Goddard School of Business and Economics hosted the 45th annual Scholarship Banquet. Weber State University students and scholarship donors gathered at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center on Sept. 28 for the event, where more than $288,600 in scholarships were given out to the 170 students.

“It takes a lot of stress off,” said Scott Welch, WSU accounting senior. “It will let me focus on school instead of how many hours I have to work each week.”

Scholarship recipients were given the opportunity to meet with their donors and learn what inspired them to donate to WSU. This gives donors a chance to get to know the students they are helping through college. The banquet is often the first time that tomorrow’s business leaders get a chance to meet the business leaders of today.

“It is a chance for the student to make a professional connection with someone who has had success in the business world and develop a relationship that could help them in their professional careers,” said Lauren Altdoerffer, development director for the Goddard School.

In 2008, WSU student Trevor Peterson received the Bank of Utah Scholarship and got to visit with Scott Parkinson, senior vice president of marketing. Four years later, Peterson is now an audit senior for Tanner LLC in Salt Lake City. He and Parkinson both serve as members on the volunteer board that advises the Goddard School. Parkinson said he was happy to see the scholarship recipient was now giving back to the school that had helped him.

Jeff Steagall, the dean of the Goddard School, along with accounting major Blake Dyer and human resources management major Ashley Thorstensen, shared remarks at the banquet and gave information on the donors. Also in attendance was a group of research scholars from the Goddard School, who presented research projects they have been working on this year.

For some students, the scholarship funds helped them graduate last semester. Christina Mueller graduated with a degree in business economics earlier this year.

“Getting a scholarship was a nice confirmation, showing me that I had done a good job,” Mueller said. “It was like a reward.”

According to the WSU guidelines, students interested in receiving scholarships must complete the online scholarship application. Applications must be turned in by the second Monday in January of each year. The applications are then sent to the college in which the student is majoring or minoring. Each college has various scholarships that require certain qualifications from the students applying. Once a scholarship is given, the student must remain eligible by maintaining his or her GPA and full-time or part-time status.

“To get involved in the scholarship program, students need to complete a scholarship application,” Altdoerffer said. “It’s that easy.”

To fill out an application or learn more, students can visit www.weber.edu/GetIntoWeber/undergrads/ScholarshipsFinancialAid.html or call 801-626-7569. The Financial Aid and Scholarship Office can be found in Room 120 of the Student Services Building.

“The scholarship banquet is one of the many fun things that the school gets to do for its students,” Altdoerffer said. “It’s a chance for us to celebrate our outstanding scholars and show them off to the community.”