Michael & Karel Helgeson Generations Scholarship*

Scholarship Type

Application Deadline

March 1

Available Scholarships

Up to 20 - $3,000 Scholarships

About This Scholarship

The Michael and Karel Helgeson Generations Scholarship Fund is intended to recognize and support actively engaged students (at the high school or college level) of Pure Prairie Poultry team members and Pure Prairie Poultry family farm partners who wish to further their education at a 2-year or 4-year accredited, non-profit college or university. 

Michael Helgeson currently serves as Board Chair on the Pure Prairie Poultry board of directors. Previously, he was the third-generation leader of Minnesota-based GNP Company (which also had operations in Wisconsin), founded by Michael’s grandfather, E.M., in 1926. Through spending nearly his entire life, involved in a family-owned, Midwestern, broiler chicken business, Michael and his wife, Karel, recognize the importance of strong family values, and they are committed to building healthy communities. For this reason, this scholarship fund was established to benefit the children of those who contribute to the long-term success of Pure Prairie Poultry. Through higher education, these families will continue to build future legacies through the work, time, and talent, for generations to come.

Available Scholarships: Up to 20 – $3,000 Scholarships

Renewable: Student may submit a new application each year.

  • High School Seniors, College students or Graduate School students (may apply each year).
  • ONLY: children, step-children, adopted children, legal wards and dependents of households of Pure Prairie Poultry team members (i.e., employees) and Pure Prairie Poultry family farm partners.
  • The team member must be employed by Pure Prairie Poultry and farmer partners must have been in partnership with the company at the time the application is submitted.
  • GPA: 2.5 on a 4.0 Scale.
  • Must be no older than 30 by application deadline.
  • Planning to attend or attending: Two or four year US-based college, vocational or graduate school (full-time enrollment).

  • Alexandria Technical and Community College
  • Augsburg College
  • Bemidji State University
  • Bethany Lutheran College
  • Bethel University
  • Carleton College
  • Central Lakes College
  • College of St. Benedict
  • College of St. Scholastica
  • Concordia College - Moorhead, MN
  • Concordia University - St. Paul, MN
  • Gustavus Adolphus College
  • Hamline University
  • Macalester College
  • Minnesota State University - Mankato
  • Minnesota State University - Moorhead
  • Ridgewater College
  • Saint John's University
  • Saint Mary's University
  • Southwest Minnesota State University
  • St. Catherine University
  • St. Cloud State University
  • St. Cloud Technical and Community College
  • St. John's University
  • St. Olaf College
  • University of Minnesota - Crookston
  • University of Minnesota - Duluth
  • University of Minnesota - Morris
  • University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  • University of Northwestern - St. Paul
  • University of St. Thomas
  • Winona State University
  • Aitkin High School
  • Albany High School
  • Alexandria High School
  • Annandale High School
  • Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (ACGC) High Schools
  • Barnum High School
  • Becker Senior High School
  • Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (BBE) High School
  • Bemidji High School
  • Benson High School
  • Big Lake High School
  • Birchwood High School
  • Bloomington Public Schools - Jefferson High School
  • Brainerd High School
  • Browerville High School
  • Carlton High School
  • Cathedral High School
  • Charles City High School
  • Cherry High School
  • Cloquet Senior High School
  • Cook County High School
  • Crosby Ironton High School
  • Duluth - Denfeld High School
  • Duluth - East High School
  • Duluth - Marshall School
  • Eden Valley Watkins High School
  • Elk River High School
  • Eveleth-Gilbert Senior High School
  • Faith Christian School - Foreston, MN
  • Falls High School
  • Fergus Falls High School
  • Foley High School
  • Garrison
  • Grand Rapids Senior High School
  • Greenway High School
  • Hermantown Senior High School
  • Hibbing High School
  • Hinckley-Finlayson High School
  • Holdingford
  • Isle High School
  • Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (KMS) High School
  • Kimball
  • Litchfield High School
  • Little Falls High School
  • Long Prairie-Grey Eagle
  • MACCRAY High School
  • Mayer Lutheran High School
  • Melrose High School
  • Menahaga
  • Milaca
  • Minnewaska Area High School (Glenwood)
  • Monticello High School
  • Moose Lake High School
  • Mora High School
  • New London Spicer
  • New Ulm
  • North Branch High School
  • North Woods School - Cook, MN
  • Northwestern High School - Maple, WI
  • Onamia High School
  • Osakis High School
  • Park Rapids Area High School
  • Paynesville High School
  • Pequot Lakes High School
  • Pierz High School
  • Pillager High School
  • Pine City High School
  • Pine River
  • Pine River-Backus High School
  • Princeton High School
  • Red Lake High School
  • ROCORI High School
  • Rogers High School
  • Royalton High School
  • Sartell-St. Stephen High School
  • Sauk Centre High School
  • Sauk Rapids-Rice High School
  • Shell Lake Jr/Sr High School
  • South Ridge School - Culver, MN
  • Spooner High School
  • St. Cloud Apollo High School
  • St. Cloud Area Learning Center
  • St. Cloud Christian School
  • St. Cloud Technical High School
  • St. John's Preparatory School
  • Staples-Motley High School
  • Superior High School - Superior, WI
  • TrekNorth High School - Bemidji, MN
  • Two Harbors High School
  • Two Rivers High School
  • Upsala High School
  • Voyageurs Expeditionary High School - Bemidji, MN
  • Wadena-Deer Creek High School
  • Walker High School
  • Walker-Hackensack-Akeley High School
  • Watertown-Mayer
  • Wheaton Area High School
  • Willmar High School
  • Willow River High School

  • Application General Questions
  • Essay: Maximum of 650 words sharing what or who has had the greatest influence on your life and how is this affecting the direction of your life.
  • Statement of Need and Responsibility: Briefly share a personal, life, or family circumstance affecting your need for this scholarship.
  • List of Activities for: 1) Community Service i.e. civic and church volunteer activities; 2) Extracurricular School Activities i.e. school activities that are not graded; and 3) Work Experience
  • Electronic Transcript:
    • High School Students: You must enter your guidance officer’s email address into the application at least 5 days prior to the deadline. This will allow your guidance officer to add your transcript to the application prior to the deadline.
    • College Students: Must obtain a transcript from the college registrar office and upload as a PDF. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable if they are signed by the registrar’s office.

Other Notes:

  • Senior photo and photo release will be required of recipients. The donor wishes to recognize recipients in news releases, corporate newsletters, and other publications.

  • May: Recipients will be notified via email in early May.
  • June 15: Recipients must sign their scholarship agreement and provide college information. CommunityGiving will verify that you are enrolled as a full-time student at the college.(Full-time enrollment is typically 12-16 credits)
  • June: Inform your college that you have received the scholarship.
  • September 1: Generally, full payment will arrive at your college unless otherwise notified.

Apply For This Scholarship

Online applications only.

*To apply for this scholarship, you must have an existing Scholarship Management System account or create a new account.