2025 Hess Corporation Scholarship Recipients Announced

Posted: Jul 24 2025

The Minot Area Community Foundation, in partnership with Hess Corporation and the North Dakota State Fair, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Hess Corporation Scholarships. This annual scholarship program supports North Dakota high school seniors involved in 4-H and FFA, empowering students whose academic and career goals aim to enhance the quality of life in their communities—whether through direct industry involvement or by enriching the social, educational, or environmental fabric of North Dakota.

This year, $40,000 in scholarships have been awarded to eight deserving students across the state.

Three students were selected to receive scholarships of $10,000 each:

• Martin Heberlie from Des Lacs will study Engineering at Bismarck State College.
• Makayla Kraft from Minot will study Biological Sciences at North Dakota State University.
• Kaden Nelsen from Leeds will study Plumbing & HVAC at Northland Career and Technical College.

 
Five additional students have each been awarded a $2,000 scholarship:

• Karady Evans from New England will study Education at Black Hills State University.
• Elsa Axtman from Fargo will study Business Management/Studio Art at St Thomas.
• Rose Schiele from Balfour will study Elementary Education at Valley City State University.
• Andrew Zikmund from Park River will study Economics/Computer Science at North Dakota State University.
• Austin Lakefield from Mohall will study Career & Technical Education at Valley City State University.

 
“At Hess, we are proud to support students who are dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities,” said Brent Lohnes, General Manager of North Dakota. “Whether these scholarship recipients choose to work in the energy sector or in other fields that contribute to the growth of our region, we believe their success will enhance the future of North Dakota.”

In addition to the scholarships, twenty North Dakota 4-H Clubs and FFA Chapters were each awarded $500 grants earlier this year through the same partnership. The grants are being used for community service projects in their local areas or to help increase participation in the North Dakota State Fair.

“We are honored to help facilitate the Hess Corporation scholarships and grants in collaboration with the North Dakota State Fair,” said Jason Zimmerman, President of the Minot Area Community Foundation. “This partnership plays an important role in supporting the next generation of North Dakota’s workforce, and we are proud to be a part of it.”

Together, these initiatives reflect a shared commitment to strengthening North Dakota’s rural communities through education, leadership, and opportunity.