Toensing and his wife Michelle Schoen established the Bob Toensing Glassblowing Endowed Scholarship last year as an endowed scholarship fund. An endowed scholarship means that the principal is never spent instead the annual earned income is used to finance the scholarships.

The original scholarship fund was $10,000, which was raised through sales of Toensing’s glassblowing pieces. Recently Toensing and Schoen increased the endowed scholarship to $20,000 to allow for two $500 scholarships per year.

The first awards were granted to students, Christopher Gray and Stephanie Holm this fall for the 2007-2008 academic year.

“Bob’s the man,” says Gray. “He helps everyone. He expands the knowledge of glassblowing and he opens the doors to glassblowing to more people.”

To receive the scholarship, Gray and Holm needed to meet the following requirements: minimum 2.5 GPA, at least one completed semester at in glassblowing with excellent performance, have financial need, carry a minimum of 6 credits per semester.

“It’s hard to get scholarship money as a part-time student,” says Holm, a single mother of a four-year-old daughter. “Bob went to a lot of work to create these scholarships, and I really appreciate it.”

Both Gray and Holm plan to complete an associate in fine arts degree at the college and to continue their education after completing studies at Anoka-Ramsey with the goal of teaching someday. Each also says that, aside from the scholarship, Toensing has inspired them. It is little wonder; Toensing has his goals set high.

“To me these scholarships are only the beginning,” says Toensing. “Someday, I would like to see another zero at the end of the amount.”

For more information about an education at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the full array of scholarships available, visit www.AnokaRamsey.edu or call 763.433.1100.