The Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce awarded more than $17,000 in scholarships during its 2026 scholarship program to local students pursuing higher education, technical training, and career development opportunities. Here is a list of this year’s scholarship recipients.

Charles A. Farnham Business Scholarship

The Charles A. Farnham Business Scholarship is in honor of an individual who was very active with the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. Farnham’s professional background and employment focus was in industrial relations at Northwestern Steel and Wire, where he was a vice president.

Individuals who are pursuing a curriculum of business or industrial relations or an approved business/industrial relations field are eligible to apply for this one-year, $1,000 scholarship. This year, the student must be graduating from Newman Central Catholic High School, Rock Falls High School or Sterling High School.

• Ryan Gebhardt, University of Iowa
• Haleigh Dale, Sauk Valley Community College

Agribusiness Scholarships

The SVACC Agribusiness Scholarships are available for any student attending high school in the Whiteside Area Career Center Service Area and pursuing a career pathway in the field of agriculture. The scholarship is a minimum of $1,500 to a student attending an accredited 4-year college or university; or a minimum of $750 to a student attending Sauk Valley Community College or a 2-year college.

• Daniel Kelly, Iowa State University
• Natalie Pratt, Oklahoma State University
• Loren Meiners, University of Wisconsin—Platteville
• Jaden Brower, University of Iowa
• Laynie Mandrell, Loyola University
• Grace Wetzell, Sauk Valley Community College
• MaKayla Cisketti, Sauk Valley Community College
• Allison Duggan, Sauk Valley Community College

Hispanic Heritage Scholarships

This scholarship is for students who have at least one parent of Hispanic ancestry. Applicants for this scholarship must reside in the Sauk Valley area. Applicants must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as full-time undergraduate students in an accredited four-year or two-year institution in the U.S. or U.S. territories. Recipients will receive a $1,000 one-year scholarship.

• Daniel Gonzalez, Indian Hills Community College
• Ben Munoz-Ripley, Augustana College
• Morelia Vargas, University of Iowa
• Isabella Sylvester, University of Iowa

Manufacturing Scholarships

The SVACC Manufacturing scholarship is open to students who are current seniors in a WACC high school, a current student at Sauk Valley Community College or Morrison Institute of Technology, or a current resident of the Sauk Valley area who will be attending SVCC or MIT and pursuing a career in a manufacturing-related field. This application is for a one-year, $500 scholarship. The 2026 recipients will received $750 each.

• Rachelle Yore, Morrison Institute of Technology
• Kairyn Lottman, Sauk Valley Community College

The Chamber’s scholarship program is a key component of its ongoing workforce development efforts, helping local students gain the education and skills needed to become the next generation of leaders, professionals, and skilled workers in the Sauk Valley region.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our members and partners which allows the SVACC to continue investing in local talent and creating pathways for success,” said Dallas Knack, executive director of the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. “Their investment allows us to continue creating opportunities for local students and strengthening the future workforce of our region.”

For more information on SVACC scholarships and their allocations, contact Knack at director@saukvalleyareachamber.com or call 815-625-2400.