About the Coss Family Foundation and the Scholarship Programs
Lawrence M. Coss and his wife Virginia established the Coss Family Foundation Scholarship Program in 1995 to aid in financing the post-secondary education of students attending high schools located in Dakota and Ramsey counties in Minnesota, as well as Buffalo, Hand, Hyde, Meade, and Pennington counties in South Dakota.
In 2009, Mr. and Mrs. Coss established the Coss Family Foundation Adult Scholarship Program to aid in financing the post-secondary education of residents of the same South Dakota and Minnesota counties who did not attend or complete college right after high school.
Lori Berg, who coordinates the Fund for The Saint Paul Foundation, says that multi-year scholarship funding is a central aspect of the program. "The Coss Family's decision to offer continued assistance through the remainder of a student's education provides a unique opportunity for many more qualified students to attain a postsecondary education," explains Berg.
The Coss Family Scholarship fund program has awarded over $3,000,000 to 573 recipients since it was established in 1995.
The Coss Family Foundation Scholarship Program annually awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $3,500. Scholarships are renewable for up to three years if award conditions are met.
The New Coss Family Foundation Adult Scholarship Program awards $1,500 scholarships to students accepted for enrollment at one of four educational institutions: Black Hills State University and Western Dakota Technical Institute in South Dakota; and Dakota County Technical College and Saint Paul College in Minnesota. This non-traditional scholarship program gives preference to individuals who have been out of high school at least four years and have not attained a college degree. Scholarships are renewable for one year. In 2009, 4 scholarships totaling $6,000 were awarded.