MEDIA CONTACTS:
Dale Dorlin, Director of Communications / Dale.Dorlin@WallinPartners.org
Kevin Kjonaas, Advancement Director, PFund Foundation / Kevin@pfundfoundation.org
PFUND FOUNDATION AND WALLIN EDUCATION PARTNERS ANNOUNCES ITS NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
ACROSS MINNESOTA
ST. PAUL, Minn. (June 10, 2026)—PFund Foundation and Wallin Education Partners (Wallin), in partnership with a growing network of community organizations, today announced the recipients of its Community Partner Scholarships, expanding access to college and career support for students across Minnesota.
We are proud to recognize the following students:
- Ada Dachtler at Hamline University
- Hudson Krogman at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
- Declan Roach at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
- Kiahara Roelandt at the University of Iowa
- Star Breyfogle at the University of Iowa
- Crow Pinsonnault at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
“When we invest in LGBTQ+ students, we invest in the future of our communities. Scholarships do more than help pay for tuition, they affirm potential, and open doors to opportunity. Every scholarship is a statement that LGBTQ+ students belong, matter, and deserve every chance to succeed.”
— Aaron Zimmerman, Executive Director, PFund Foundation
This initiative brings together youth-serving organizations with Wallin Education Partners to provide students with a continuum of support. While partner organizations deliver important services and build strong relationships with young people within their areas of expertise, Wallin’s model is designed to support students as they transition to the next phase of their journey. Partnerships like this ensure that, as they move beyond youth programs, they continue on to earn family-sustaining wages and launch meaningful careers. Wallin’s support is delivered through a comprehensive, relationship-based model that includes individualized advising, career coaching, workforce development opportunities, and personalized wraparound support.
“Students don’t experience their journeys in silos, and neither should the systems that support them,” said Mohamed Sallam, President and CEO of Wallin Education Partners. “Through partnership, we extend a continuum of care that ensures students have the resources they need from high school through college and into their careers.”
Through this model, community-based organizations identified students with the talent, drive, and ambition to succeed, as well as a deep connection to their programs, to receive the scholarship. Wallin then extends that support by providing financial aid, a dedicated advisor for long-term guidance, and career programming, including coaching, industry events, and hands-on experience with invested employer partners.
Each partnership reflects a tailored approach based on the organization’s strengths and goals, as well as the demonstrated needs of its students.
Participating partners include: Augsburg University, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Black Educated Successful Thriving (B.E.S.T), Black Men Teach, Boys & Girls Clubs, Doherty Family College at University of St. Thomas, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Lake Street Works, PFund Foundation, and Red Lake Nation.
Together, these partnerships reflect a shared commitment to supporting students in meaningful ways. By connecting the support students receive in their communities with continued guidance through college and career, this initiative ensures they have the financial resources and ongoing support needed to persist and succeed.
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About Wallin Education Partners
Wallin Education Partners (Wallin) is a leading college and career success program, supporting over 1,700 students from across the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. Wallin offers comprehensive support to under-resourced students that includes financial aid, personalized advising, and career development to empower students to navigate college and transition into successful careers. Students attend more than 80 colleges nationwide with a six-year graduation rate of 87%, surpassing the national undergraduate average of 64% (NCES). With more than 7,000 alumni, Wallin Scholars are building more equitable, diverse, and vibrant communities. To learn more, please visit wallinpartners.org. Connect with us on LinkedIn, follow us on Instagram @WallinPartners, and like us on Facebook.
About PFund Foundation
PFund Foundation is the LGBTQ+ Community Foundation for the Upper Midwest. Founded in the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, the LGBTQ+ community pooled their resources together to form this foundation to maximize our collective power and impact. For forty years PFund has awarded thousands of scholarships, granted out millions of dollars to non-profits, supported hundreds of LGBTQ+ small businesses, and sponsored countless community events. To learn more, please visit pfundfoundation.org. Connect with us on LinkedIn and follow us on Instagram @pfundfoundation.