May 10, 2018
Endowment Fund, Winter Family and K-State Student Union award Winter Scholarships
Laura Apel, senior in hospitality management, Lenexa, is the 51st recipient of the Stanley L. Winter Alpha Tau Omega K-State Union Leadership Scholarship presented at the K-State Student Union Leadership Recognition on May 5. Apel will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
The scholarship, established in 1992, is given to perpetuate the memory of Stanley "Stan" L. Winter at Kansas State University and to provide educational opportunities and assistance for upper-level students who possess exemplary attributes in scholarship, fellowship and character. Presenting the award were Bill Muir, president of the K-State Alpha Tau Omega Students' Aid Endowment Fund; Cole Richenburg, current president of Alpha Tau Omega, representing the Endowment Fund and the chapter; Kent Winter representing the Winter family; and Bill Smriga, executive director of the K-State Student Union.
Apel received the award for her work on Union Program Council and Union Governing Board. She was selected as a member of Union Program Council in 2015, serving as films co-chair in 2015-16, After Hours co-chair in 2016-17 and UPC president until just recently.
In 2017-2018, Apel helped create the Purple Pride Pantry Party, which attracted more than 100 volunteers and produced an impressive donation of 20,000 meals, which went to hurricane relief and K-State's new Cats' Cupboard food pantry. She has been human resource chair and service and philanthropy chair for Kappa Alpha Theta, where she led the Miss Volunteer Pageant and increased volunteer service by more than 1,000 hours and raised $19,000 for CASA. Apel also received a Leadership Scholarship and semester honors for four years.
Winter, a Kansas State University 1986 graduate, died in February 1992 at the age of 27. Winter was highly involved in several groups and campus activities — most prominently at the K-State Student Union. He was president of UPC, a member of the Union Governing Board, awarded the UPC Outstanding Leadership Award in 1986, and served as K-State Student Union program advisor for a short time after graduation. Winter received his bachelor's degree in agriculture economics and master's degree in student counseling with honors from K-State.
"We are very pleased to be able to again offer this scholarship to outstanding students involved in Union programs and activities," Smriga said. "Special thanks to the local Alpha Tau Omega Endowment Fund and the Winter Family for making this scholarship a reality, and congratulations to Laura as this year's scholarship recipient."
The Kansas State Alpha Tau Omega Students' Aid Endowment Fund established the Winter Scholarship with donations from the Winter Family, Brothers of Alpha Tau Omega and Friends. To be eligible, a student must have at least a 2.500 grade point average and judged to be of good character and sound academic standing and who has contributed to the quality of programs and activities of the K-State Student Union. In all other respects, this scholarship will be awarded without restriction to gender, race, handicap, religion or national origin.
"We are extremely proud to have this scholarship named after my brother," said Kent Winter. "The K-State Student Union's has outstanding student leaders, and they possess good, all-around qualities that fit the criteria for this scholarship. I know that Stan would be proud of Laura for this receiving this award."
All students meeting these requirements are eligible for this scholarship. Suggestions are received by a three-member committee composed of the president of the Endowment Fund, a member of the Alvin Winter Family and the executive director of the K-State Student Union or their designees. The committee evaluates all suggestions based on: potential, scholastic aptitude, exemplary fellowship, outstanding character and contributions to the quality of programs and activities of the K-State Student Union. The recipient is known only to the Committee until the announcement at the Leadership Banquet.
"We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to award this scholarship in memory of Stan Winter to an outstanding student like Laura Apel," Muir said. "Stan loved the Union, he loved his fraternity, he loved K-State, and he loved life in general. It is very appropriate that we memorialize his life of service with this scholarship."
A permanent plaque is located in the Union’s main concourse and an individual plaque was given to Apel.