LA CROSSE, Wis., April 10, 2024 - Forty-three Western Technical College construction and industrial trade apprentices received $2,000 scholarships from Ascendium Education Group, a non-profit organization that helps students across the country repay federal student loans.

The recipients include:

Adolfo Alcantar-Barrientos, Austin Anderson, Quinn Anderson, Andrew Antony, Ryan Bain, Tyler Bast, Owen Bradford, Ethan Breheim, Mack Budde, Cael Cogdill, William Coppernoll, Elijah Faas, Piersen Feehan, Chase Ferries, Colton Flock, Bryce Franks, Michael Fuller, Lucas Garvalia, Carson Gerard, Jacob Green, Cameron Hanson, Carter Horstman, Zach Kastenschmidt, Riley Kirkey, Michael Knutson, John Kramer, Brett Larsen, Colton Lejcher, Daymian Mack, Andrew Maedke, Derrek McAnallen, Alec Meurer, Dylan Nottestad, Connor Paulson, Daniel Peterson, Jairon Pierce, Marcus Schroeder, Ruth Schwichtenberg, Blake Thill, Marcus Varcadipane, Wyatt Weege, Thomas Wright, Tanner Zschernitz

The scholarship money comes from the Tools of the Trade Apprentice Scholarship program, which helps apprentices purchase tools, clothing, and equipment vital to their trades.

This year, Ascendium awarded a total of $1.6 million in Tools of the Trade scholarships to a record breaking 801 construction and industrial trade apprentices in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). Since the program's inception, 94 percent of recipients across the WTCS have either completed or continued their apprenticeships the following semester.

To learn more information on Western's apprenticeship programs, visit www.westerntc.edu/apprenticeship.