The Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association continued the annual tradition of encouraging the Alva community to invest in the Northwestern Oklahoma State University students by kicking off the Scholarship Drive event Wednesday, Feb. 10.

During the month-long Scholarship Drive, off-campus teams consisting of a community member and either a University or Foundation & Alumni office employee and captains representing each campus building compete in raising funds to finance continuing student scholarships at Northwestern through the RISE (Rangers Investing in Students & Education) scholarship endowment.

The Enid and Woodward campuses also are represented by captains.

Thelma Crouch, co-chair, will lead the off-campus teams, including John Barton and Dr. Steve Lohmann, Phyllis Brunsteter and Karsten Longhurst, Deb Corr and Paul Corr, Thelma Crouch and Charla Turner, Ron Davidson and Calleb Mosburg, Luke Gagnon and Shane Engelken, Rod Gourley and Dr. David Pecha, Dayna Jordan and Skeeter Bird, Darrell Kline and Dr. James Bell, Bettielou Lane and Dr. Janet Cunningham, Roland Pederson and Mindy Clark, Barbara Rockenbach and Karen Koehn, Kendra Schnebel and Emily Williams, Don Thomas and Lawana Newell, Linda Tutwiler and Susan Holliday, and Jake Kelln and John Allen.

The on-campus teams are led by Dr. Bo Hannaford, co-chair. Team captains include Patrick Wilson, Angie Henson, Brooke Taylor, Dr. Jennifer Mahieu, Dr. Deena Fisher, Dr. Tim Maharry, Dr. Wayne McMillin, Dr. Chandler Mead, Natalie Miller, Melissa Brown, Dr. Venkata Moorthy, Jake Boedecker, Dr. Dean Scarborough, Judy Dollar, Markangela Kinnett and Debbie Anderson.

The 2016 Scholarship Drive will conclude March 9 as the off-campus teams and on-campus captains tally their totals.

RISE, introduced in Nov. 2015 during the #GivingTuesday online campaign that raised more than $30,000 for Northwestern students, is the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association’s newest annual giving program. It replaces the former Millennium Club scholarship endowment and encourages every person to give at some level, without a pledge of time.

Those interested in giving to Northwestern students through the RISE program are encouraged to donate online with a credit card at my.nwfoundation.com/RISE or by check payable to the Northwestern Foundation and sent to 709 Oklahoma Blvd. Alva, OK 73717.

For more information about investing in students at Northwestern, the RISE annual giving program or to get involved with next year’s Scholarship Drive, contact Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO, at aebird@nwosu.edu or 580-327-8599.