MCFF Scholarships

MCFF distributes several scholarships each spring with a deadline of March 31, 5 p.m.:
  • The Bernard and Nelda Haag Scholarship has a focus on ag-based or rural living
  • The Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship are for those entering the medical field
  • The Frank and Marion Weiland Memorial Scholarship with an emphasis on education
  • The George and Lois Tiller Scholarship is for graduates in their second to fourth year of a four-year school or any year of community college or vocational school.
  • The Learn-and-Return Scholarship for those entering a high-demand job and willing to return to McCook/Red Willow County on a contractual basis (rolling deadline; contact MCFF for info)

   Application Forms

Application forms are available from area high school guidance counselor’s offices, McCook Community College Financial Aid Office, by email from MCFF Coordinator Ronda Graff at mcffund@gmail.com. 
Applications are available below, either on-line fillable forms or print to scan or mail. 

Bernard and Nelda Haag Scholarship Guidelines

A $1,000 scholarship is available annually to either graduating seniors or students currently enrolled in college who are from Red Willow, Furnas, Frontier, Hayes and Hitchcock counties. Each applicant must be entering or currently attending an accredited school of higher education.

The focus for selecting the recipient will be based upon leadership and self-motivation through involvement in extracurricular activities in high school; a dedication to agriculture or rural living; a desire to return to a rural area or Southwest Nebraska; lifelong learning; the personal essay; and financial need. A recipient may reapply in subsequent years as long as he or she continues to meet the parameters of the scholarship.

The McCook Community Foundation Fund Scholarship Selection Committee will select the recipient. The application deadline is March 31st.

Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship

Barbara Jean (Fassler) Neumann

The applicant must be a graduating senior of an area high school, a graduate of an area high school currently pursuing study in the medical field, or be a resident of southwest Nebraska for four years and have graduated with a high school degree.

The applicant must attend an accredited college, community college, or vocational school.

The applicant shall prepare an essay which describes briefly their proposed or current field of study within the medical field, their reason for selecting this major, and their plans for using their education to return to southwest Nebraska and practice medicine.

The MCFF Selection Committee reserves the right to interview eligible applicants. The McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Scholarship Selection Committee will select the recipient. The application deadline is March 31st.

Frank and Marion Weiland Memorial Scholarship

Frank Weiland

A $1,000 scholarship is available annually to a graduating McCook High School senior or student currently enrolled in college who graduated from McCook High School. The applicant must live in McCook or Red Willow County. Each applicant must be entering or currently attending an accredited school of higher education.


The focus for selecting the recipient will be based upon leadership and self-motivation through involvement in extracurricular activities in high school; a dedication to education; a desire to return to a rural area or Southwest Nebraska; lifelong learning; and the personal essay. A recipient may reapply in subsequent years as long as he or she continues to meet the parameters of the scholarship.


The McCook Community Foundation Fund Scholarship Selection Committee will select the recipient. The application deadline is March 31st.

George and Lois Till Memorial Scholarship

Thanks to the generosity of George and Lois Tiller, MCFF is awarding the Tiller Scholarship to graduates of either McCook or Southwest High School in Red Willow County. 

Both were graduates of Southwest Nebraska and George served on the Republican Valley School Board from 1980-1984, leading to an appreciation of education. 

The scholarship has a focus on those wanting to stay in the area or rural Nebraska, those pursuing a career in agriculture and/or involved in ag organizations (FFA, 4-H, etc.), and those going into the education world, including teaching, admin, counselors.

Criteria for scholarships shall included financial need and demonstration of strewardship in community, school or family. Scholarships shall be awarded for the second to fourth year of a four-year school or any year of community college or vocational school

MCFF's scholarship selection committee will select the recipient with an application deadline of March 31st.

McCook Learn and Return Scholarship

The McCook Learn and Return Scholarship is a collaboration with the McCook Economic Development Corp. to encourage young people to get their education and then return to their hometown. The scholarship helps with tuition assistance with the promise of the recipient returning to McCook to work. Forgiveness of the scholarship is based upon the years worked in McCook.

The MCFF Scholarship Committee will award the scholarship, while MEDC will oversee the contract and possible repayment if the obligations are not met.

Funds for this scholarship have generously been provided by Pam and Greg Wolford and MCFF. But to further the reach of the scholarship, donations are accepted to increase funds available.

There is not a deadline for this scholarship. Rather, it is awarded on as-needed basis and if funds are available.

For more information about receiving the Learn and Return Scholarship or donating to the scholarship, please contact MCFF at mcffund@gmail.com.

2026-27 MCFF Scholarships Awarded

McCook Community Foundation Fund awarded 7 scholarships this spring for the 2026-27 academic year, including the Bernard and Nelda Haag Scholarship, the Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship, the Frank and Marion Weiland Scholarship and for the first time, the George and Lois Tiller Scholarship.

The Haag Scholarship provided a $1,000 scholarship this year. Alexander Lashley, a 2026 graduate of Southwest High School, will attend the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Jalen Collicott is a 2025 McCook High School graduate, who will attend McCook Community College.

The Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship provided four $1,500 scholarships. The scholarship may be awarded to recent high school graduates as well as those currently practicing medical professionals who have resided in the area for at least four years.

The 2026-27 recipients are Sara Peterson of McCook and current student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; Elsa Wilcox of McCook, who is attending Medical University of South Carolina; Ella Cure, a 2026 Southeast High School graduate, who will attend Southeast Community College; and Madison Smith of McCook, who currently attends Fort Hayes State University in Kansas.

Now in its second year, the Frank and Marion Weiland Memorial Scholarship was started by their grandson Doug Keith of Cozad.

With a focus on education, the Weiland Scholarship was awarded to Kyndall McKinzie, a 2025 Hayes Center High School graduate, who now attends South Dakota State University.

New this year is the George and Lois Tiller Scholarship with an emphasis on agriculture and education. Nathan Rippe, a 2026 graduate of Southwest High School, received $2,000 toward his education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

MCFF is also continues to develop the Learn and Return Scholarship with a focus on those who intend to return to return to McCook after their schooling. They will sign an agreement with the MEDC to stay in the community or they will have to pay back their scholarship funds. All of the scholarships are distributed through the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation. A complete list of scholarship recipients is available on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org.

All applications are due by March 31st.

Email or mail your completed application to:
mcffund@gmail.com or
McCook Community Foundation Fund
PO Box 525
McCook, NE 69001

Scholarship Recipients

Listed below are some of Scholarship recipients in the last few years. You can view a complete listing of Scholarships from 2003 until present by clicking below.

Download 2006-Present Scholarships

2026

Recipient

Alexander Lashley, Bartley

Sara Peterson, McCook

Elsa Wilcox, McCook

Ella Cure, Indianola

Madison Smith, McCook

Nathan Rippe, Indianola

Kyndall McKinzie, Hayes Center

Scholarship

Haag Scholarship Recipient

Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship

Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship

Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship

Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship

George and Lois Tiller Scholarship

Frank Weiland Scholarship

Amount

$1,000

$1,500

$1,500

$1,500

$1,500

$2,000

$1,000

2025

Recipient

Kendall McKinzie

Jalen Collicott

Cadence Magnuson

Addison Knoll

Natalie Roberts

Logan Barenberg

Sara Peterson

Leah Spencer

Grace Wilhelmson

Scholarship
Haag Scholarship
Haag Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Scholarship
Weiland Scholarship
Amount
$1,000
$1,000
$1,500
$1,000
$1,000
$1,000
$1,000
$500
$1,000
2024

Recipient

Hunter Blume

Holli Thomas

Addison Knoll

Allison Rippe

Cadence Magnuson

Scholarship
Haag Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship
Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship
Amount
$1,000
$2,000
$2,000
$1,000
$1,000