Pillars Program

The Pillars Program at Waldorf University provides students focused on academic, leadership, or service, opportunities for enrichment while pursuing their individual degrees. This co-curricular program, offered to residential students, brings together people from a broad range of backgrounds and disciplines. The goal for scholars in this program is to improve their life, their education and the campus as a whole. Participation in this program enriches the student experience by providing new opportunities in service, research, public speaking and innovative curriculum. Through these endeavors, our students are able to enhance their academic journey both personally and professionally.

Additional Benefits

Living and learning environments outside of the classroom through rooming assignments and out of classroom experiences.
Participation in hands-on opportunities reflective to the scholarship areas.
Completion of a culminating project with end of semester presentation opportunities.
Special programming for each student.
Higher level advisement.

Program areas include:

"These areas represent the four pillars of Waldorf University: tradition, passion, community and success. We are pleased to be able to offer the Pillars Progam which will make it more affordable for students to participate in these areas that are so central to our mission." — President, Dr. Alsop

Benefits
The Pillars Scholarship program rewards qualified high school and transfer students with scholarship support through graduation. This program also provides unique benefits to the students such as:
- Collaboration with like-minded students
- Research opportunities and experiences
- Hands-on out of the classroom experiences
- Network opportunities
- Leadership opportunities.
- Service opportunities.
- Engagement
- Vocational preparation
Who can apply?
- New residential students intending to enroll and seek a four-year degree at Waldorf University.
- Students who do not plan to receive any Waldorf scholarships for NAIA sanctioned team participation.
- Students with a solid academic track record and motivation to succeed.
- Students with demonstrated abilities to impact and influence others in a positive way.
- Students seeking community centered living-and-learning environments to thrive in.
- Students looking for connection outside of the classroom setting.
- Students seeking affordable avenues to fund their education.
*these scholarships cannot be combined with athletics or fine-arts scholarships.
Application guidelines
1. Complete free Waldorf Admissions Application
2. Indicate program of interest on application: Pillars Scholarship Program
3. All qualifying students are allowed to compete for a limited number of select Pillars scholarships including up to full tuition by completing secondary Pillars Scholarship Application
4. Pillars Scholars are selected and financial scholarships are granted based upon:
- Your story; what matters to you, and why
- Your values related to Waldorf's four pillars: Passion, Tradition, Community, Success
- Your curiosity and commitment to learning
- Your desire to live on campus and be a part of the University community
- Academic record, tests scores, faculty/advisor recommendation
- References from teachers and community members who know you well
- Introduction video and personal visit
Faculty/Advisors
- Art: Hallie Erdahl
- Biology: Paul Bartelt
- Business: Bob Sarver
- Campus Ministry
- Creative Writing-English: Tim Bascom
- Criminal Justice: Aaron Purhmann
- Digital Media - Communications: David Damm
- Education: Becky Hill
- History- Political Science: Kevin Mason
- Honors Leadership: Suzi Falck-Yi
- Psychology: Nick Benesh
- Service Learning - Rotaract: Rachel Harms
- Sport Management: Maurie Tomke
- Women in Leadership: Renae Littrell / Sharese Hall
Post-Graduation Opportunities
The following list is a sample of opportunities that our Pillars graduates have gone on to accomplish.
- Accepted to Wilmington University, Wilmington, Del., to pursue Masters of Science in Human Resource Management
- Full-time 2 year Mayo Research Technician, Mayo, Jacksonville, Fla.
- Full-time Staff Accountant, Hogan & Hansen, Ames, Iowa
- Full-time Mental Health Counselor, Minnesota Mental Health Clinics, Eagan, Minn.
- Internship as Youth Counselor at Forest Ridge in Gruver, Iowa
- Full-time Supported Community Living Staff, Duncan Heights, Inc., Garner, Iowa
- Full-time Care Assistant, Mosaic, Forest City, Iowa
- Part-time Sales/Management at McCubbin Trophy & Engraving, Forest City, Iowa

Being a part of this program helped me to be selected by the Biology Department to do summer undergraduate research at the University of Iowa with Dr. Fischer. We worked on the orofacial clefting and brought the researcher project back to Waldorf University. I am so happy to be a member of the Pillars program.

~Jennet Hojanazarova

In my time at Waldorf, I’ve come to realize just how much my university cares about its students. The numerous scholarship opportunities support people from all walks of life, and made it possible for me to attend college with minimal financial burden.

~Jacobi Popp

As a student my priority has always been to balance academics with extra curricular activities. Pillars programs encourages me to identify my potential as a leader and try out new things that interest me. I am able to balance my responsibilities as a student along with expectations tied to the student leader positions by time management and learning how to prioritize. This program is especially for students who wish do more and also be good at it.

~Asmita KC

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