College degrees will be much more affordable for some of this year’s Cordell graduates, as members of the Class of 2020 earned more than $400,000 in scholarships.
All in all, 17 Cordell seniors earned scholarships, according to a report provided by school counselor Tiffani Gallagher.
Leading the charge, with nearly $73,000 in scholarship earnings, was class valedictorian Cloie Banks. Banks was awarded nine separate scholarships, including the new Bungardt Memorial Scholarship, valued at $60,000 over four years. Banks also earned $6,350 for the SWOSU Academic Achievement Award, $2,700 for the SWOSU President’s Leadership Room Scholarship, $1,000 for the SWOSU President’s Class Scholarship, $1,000 for the Cordell First National Bank Scholarship, $650 for the SWOSU Residential Grant, $500 for the CK Energy Youth Tour Scholarship, $500 for the Cordell Lions Club Scholarship, and $250 for the Cordell Beacon Scholarship.
The Bungardt scholarship was established by the family of Dr. Alfred Bungardt, a Cordell graduate in the class of 1934. Dr. Bungardt, after graduating from medical school and starting his practice, acquired significant amounts of land in and around Cordell.
The Bungardt family, along with Cordell native Corky Gerlach, who managed the holdings around Cordell, created a trust from which the scholarships will be funded for future years.
Gaige Keister was the second recipient of the $15,000 per year Bungardt Memorial Scholarship. He also received $500 from the new Creed Bouse Memorial Scholarship.
Makenzie Hougland was awarded $10,000 per year for a Bungardt Memorial Scholarship. She also received $21,000 from Oklahoma’s Promise, a $1,000 American Legion scholarship, and a $500 Cordell Lions Club scholarship.
Class salutatorian Kyda Gossen earned a Bungardt scholarship for $5,000 per year. She also earned $21,000 from Oklahoma’s Promise, $17,063 from an Oklahoma State University Academic Scholarship, $500 from CK Energy’s Senior Scholarship, and $250 from the Cordell Band Boosters Scholarship.
The final Bungardt Scholarship winner was Camryn Nickel. She was awarded $5,000 per year. She was also awarded $500 for the CK Energy Senior Scholarship and $500 for the CK Energy Youth Tour Scholarship.
Three other students, Donnevan Beck, Abigail Carli, and Monarosa Dobbs, were also awarded $21,000 each through Oklahoma’s Promise. Dobbs also earned $1,000 from the Anderson Memorial Scholarship and $500 from the Western Oklahoma State College Top Ten Scholarship.
Elyse Busby earned an Oklahoma State University Academic Scholarship valued at $21,345.
James Pyeatte earned a $9,000 Freshman Excellence Award from Evangel University, in addition to three McPherson College awards. He was awarded a $15,000 Academic Scholarship, an $11,000 Merit Scholarship, and a $1,000 Presidental Scholarship.
Allyson Rees earned a $6,000 UCO Freshman Honors Scholarship and a $200 Cordell Christian Home Caring Hearts Scholarship.
Lexie Lawson also earned the $200 scholarship from Cordell Christian Home, $1,000 from the Brickett Memorial Scholarship, $2,100 from Western Technology Center’s 13th Year Scholarship, and $250 from Western Oklahoma State College’s General Scholarship.
Alexander Thomison also earned the WTC 13th Year Scholarship for $2,100, in addition to the $250 Cordell Beacon Scholarship.
Shaylin Mathes and Kamdyn Davis each earned $250 from the High Plains Bank Scholarship, and Christian McCallister earned a $1,000 American Legion Scholarship.