SpartanNash has awarded 25 students with scholarships of $2,500 each as part of the company’s Our Family Scholarship program that recognizes the outstanding service of each recipient to their local communities.
The program honors undergraduate, graduate, and vocational students who go above and beyond in serving others. Recipients were selected for their dedication to creating better places to live, play and grow. The awarded funds can be applied to any form of higher education, from two- and four-year universities to trade schools and other post-secondary education programs.
“We are committed to helping our retail stores and independent grocer customers give back to the communities they serve by honoring standout students who have made a difference,” said Amy McClellan, executive vice president and chief customer officer with SpartanNash. “The Our Family scholarship embodies what it means to serve, and it’s a privilege to support our recipients’ education so they can continue building brighter futures for themselves and their communities.”
This year’s winners represent diverse efforts to address challenges in their communities. The stories of just a few winners include:
Aspen Schroeder (Minnesota State University Moorhead): Schroeder served her community as a blood drive coordinator, volunteer for her local soup kitchen and church summer camp, and as president of the Health Occupations Students of America.
Clara Berry (Western Michigan University): As the Key Club International Vice President, Berry started a project to promote early childhood development in Zambia – raising more than $3,000 and organizing two statewide events with more than 550 attendees combined.
Connie Hepler (Herzing University Online): Hepler serves on the board of OOSC, a nonprofit that supports military and retiree spouses in Omaha and serves the local community through charitable events.
Jessica Kent (Medical College of Wisconsin): Kent volunteers in the oncology community and as a student doctor at a clinic for uninsured patients and serves as a patient support mentor and fundraiser for the Vasculitis Foundation.
Nathan Sparschu (Michigan State University): Sparschu volunteered with the St. Clair County trails, helping remove invasive species, tagging butterflies for research, checking for contaminant levels, and building bat houses.
“As a SpartanNash customer, we are proud to sell Our Family products and love the fact that the brand has a program celebrating young people’s accomplishments and supporting their future aspirations,” said SpartanNash’s customer and Our Family retailer Brett Boyd of Market House Foods. “The Our Family Scholarship program is a great example of how brands can make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve.”
The 2025 winners include:
