The Mary H. Rice Scholarship Fund for Native Students supports higher education for Native people who are members of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, or the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Mary H. Rice was officially declared the Queen of Bayfield by the City of Bayfield, Wisconsin, during AppleFest in the 1980’s. She devoted her energy, creativity, time, and treasure to the Chequamegon Bay area which she called home the last 40 years of her life. Mary was born in Stillwater, MN in 1940, daughter of Bill and Betty (Andersen) Hulings. The family owned Andersen Windows, one of America’s premier window and  door manufacturers. Mary and her extended family came to the Apostle Islands, boating to and living on remote Sand Island where they had many summer adventures.

When Mary moved to 3rd Street in Bayfield, she understood both the strengths of the region and the  needs of a small community. She understood the value of high-quality  education in the region and was a long-serving board member of Northland College, in Ashland, WI. She saw the isolation that seniors experience during long winters and founded CORE Community Services, along with other dedicated Bayfield volunteers. And children have always been a priority. Mary helped found the Bayfield Rec Center, scholarships for Bayfield High School students, and arts programs which benefited adults as well as youth.

Simply put, Mary’s creativity, generosity, and love of the region have made Bayfield and the surrounding area a better place for everyone. 

Eligibility

• Are an enrolled member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, or the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
• Have graduated from high school or have received a Graduate Equivalent Degree (GED)
• Are planning to pursue his or her education beyond high school, including pursuit of a Certificate, Diploma, or Associate Degree (typically earned at a vocational/technical school or a community college), or a Bachelor’s Degree

Scholarship Grant Range

• $2,000 – $3,000 up to 4 years (Total $8,000-$9,000) 

Application timeline

• This scholarship is part of the Universal Application: December 1 – February 13
• ONE Universal Application: Create a profile in the scholarship portal. Fill out the first page of the universal application to filter through all of the scholarships you qualify for. 

Award Details

• This scholarship may be used for expenses of post-secondary education at any accredited college, university or technical/ vocational school

• Award Payments will be mailed directly to the school/ university 
  • Fall Payments are mailed July 15-30
  • Spring Payments are mailed December 15-30
• Transferring Schools: Please contact DSACF if you plan on transferring schools. Transferring schools does not automatically transfer your scholarship. If a transfer occurs after scholarship money has been disbursed it may take up to 90 days to reprocess the scholarship payment. 

Tax information

DSACF encourages scholarship recipients to seek tax advice regarding scholarships. According to the IRS: Scholarships, fellowship grants, and other grants are tax-free if you meet the following conditions:

• You’re a candidate for a degree at an educational institution that maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where it carries on its educational activities; and
• The amounts you receive are used to pay for tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at the educational institution, or for fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses at the educational institution.