Trustee Scholars Recipients

Isabelle G. House

2024 Trustee Scholars Recipient

High school senior planning on attending University of Colorado, Boulder to major in Biochemistry

Expected College Graduation: May 2028

Employee Parent/Guardian: Jessica H. Nolle (Mother)

ESOP Member Company Name: RESPEC (Rapid City, SD)

Isabelle is a high school senior with a 4.0 GPA, she is heading to the University of Colorado in the fall to major in biochemistry. In eighth grade, she completed a mentorship in a neuroscience lab. And last year, as a high school student, she wrote an op-ed about the importance of access to mental health resources in schools, that was published in the Colorado Sun.

Our recipient’s mother is an employee owner at RESPEC, in Denver, Colorado. In her application, she mentioned how lucky her mom is to work at an ESOP, and she hopes to someday work for a company that has such a supportive team environment, with everyone working toward a common goal.

Kylie L. Meyer

2024 Trustee Scholars Recipient

College Undergraduate at University of Northern Iowa majoring in Education

Expected College Graduation: May 2025

ESOP Employee Parent/Guardian: Shelby L. Meyer (Mother), Payable Coordinator

ESOP Member Company Name: Folience – Life Line Emergency Vehicles (Sumner, IA)

Kylie is currently attending the University of Northern Iowa and majoring in Education, she wants to go into teaching to make a positive impact on children’s lives both inside and outside the classroom. After teaching for several years, she plans to pursue a Master’s in School Counseling, and work with students who are struggling to help them find their purpose in life.

Kylie’s mother is an employee owner at Life Line Emergency Vehicles, a Folience company, in Sumner, Iowa. She’s so proud of her mom, and told us that knowing her mom has ownership in the company gives her a sense of community, and motivates everyone to do better. She also said having an employee-owned business in a small town makes it feel like a community-focused business that really embraces the values of the town.

Luke R. Nichols

2024 Trustee Scholars Recipient

College Undergraduate at South Dakota State University majoring in Civil Engineering

Expected College Graduation: May 2025

Employee Parent/Guardian: Christine M. Nichols (Mother)

ESOP Member Company Name: Rayser Holdings – CarePro Health Services – CR Pharmacy Service Inc. (Cedar Rapids, IA)

Luke is a civil engineering major with a 3.98 GPA at South Dakota State University, who still somehow finds time to compete in Division 1 swimming, breaking school records in two events. After graduating, he would like to secure a position at an ESOP company, believing it’s a critical step in his career and personal development.

Luke’s mother is an employee owner at Rayser Holdings in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Luke has already interned at two ESOP companies, and he told us that experience, and his mom’s work at an ESOP, taught him a valuable lesson. That employees who believe in the work they are doing contribute to increased morale, profitability, and productivity, and that the direct beneficiaries of the business’s success are the employe owners themselves.