The Ed & Irene Fleis Education Fund recently announced its 2024 scholarship winners. The fund gave out $90,000 to Leelanau County students or those with Leelanau County lineage to continue their education via a college/university degree, trade/vocational certificate or diploma. 

Scholarship winners are selected confidentially and independently of the Fleis Education Board and the Fleis family. This year the Cedar Chamber of Commerce selected the scholarship winners.

Since 2006, the fund has distributed more than $757,200 to 427 students. Scholarship funds are raised through donations, a golf outing, and an online auction. For more information, click here.

Winners this year, and attending schools, include:

Jamie Steup, Georgia Southern University (Scholarship in memory of Rita and Jim Cwengros)

Haley Cohen, American College of Healthcare Sciences

Kariesue Taghon and Nicholas Dashner, Aquinas College

Elizabeth Evich, Miriam Hahnenberg and Della Bunek, Ave Maria University

Hannah Hiester, Benedictine College

Esme Durbin, Boston College

Madison Damer, Bryant University

Naomi Elenbaas, Calvin University

Hanna Cook, Capella University

Aaron Lingaur, Emma Korson and McKenzie Watkoski, Central Michigan University

Madeline Pease, Chattahoochee Technical College

Jenna Gale, Coastal Carolina University

Camilla Foglesong, Columbia University

Katherine Hahnenberg, Cornell University

Isaac Hahnenberg, Eastern Michigan University

Hayden Holcomb, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

Lily Noonan, Ferris State University

Brielle Fitzpatrick, Franklin Pierce University

Drew Peterson, Kira Vasquez, Adrienne Stallman, Emily Albu, Lillian Pattok, Nathaniel Galla, Micah Reed, Zoe Korson, Caitlyn Sienkiewicz, Ella Metcalf, and Sophia Hybels, Grand Valley State University

Sarah Bunek, Hillsdale College

Abigail Wilson, Hope College

Tessa Steup, Indiana University

Kayla Korson, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University

Abigail Pease, Kennesaw State University

Mayzie Dingman, Althea Bardenhagen, Keira Greene, William Jacob Schaub, Lauren Lint, Ivy Schut, Isaiah and Elijah Darling, Michigan State University

Tyler Buchholz, Michigan Technological University

Charlotte Sutherland, North Carolina State University

Leah Fleis, North Central Michigan College

Bastian Sanborn, Northern Michigan University

Elena Grant, Eliza Bardenhagen, Madison Groves, Emma Herrington, Ella Flores, Daniel Lint and Hannah Dashner, Northwestern Michigan College

Christopher Apuzzo, Rowan University

Cecelia Schaub, Savannah College of Art and Design

Natalie Pease, Southern New Hampshire University

Nathan Mustard, Spring Arbor University

Simeon Popa, Taylor University

Christina Evich, Thomas Aquinas College

Casey Hintz, University of Arizona

Russell Campbell, University of Illinois at Chicago

Clara Hund, Syndey Yeomans and Gretel Foglesong, University of Michigan

Mark Steck, University of St. Thomas

Megan Hahnenberg, Washington University in St. Louis

Megan Wilson, Isabela Gave and Jesse Cwengros, Western Michigan University.