"The EDAM Foundation has been an instrumental partner of the UMD Center for Economic Development. The Upper Midwest Basic Economic Development Course is enhanced through the financial and outreach support of the Foundation toward the shared goal of building the knowledge and skills of economic development professionals. The scholarships help economic developers throughout Minnesota become better equipped to assist in the economic growth of their local areas and the state, particularly those who's communities may not otherwise have the financial resources to support this type of advanced training for their professional staff."
Elaine Hanson
Director, UMD Center for Economic Development, Duluth, MN
"The EDAM Foundationšs scholarship program has been very helpful towards my efforts to obtain a national economic development finance professional certification from the National Development Council.This financial support for my professional training allowed me to take advantage of the full course offerings at North Hennepin Community College in the Fall of 06 and Winter and Spring of 07.This is an excellent program and should have the full support of the development community." Noel LaBine Executive Director, Wright County Economic Development Partnership Rockford, MN
"My EDAM Foundation scholarship helped me pursue my professional development goals by paying my registration cost to attend the IEDC Real Estate Development and Reuse course.EDAM Foundation scholarships are valuable resources that help make personal development opportunities affordable for EDAM members.Giving to the EDAM Foundation is more than just making a contribution -- you are making an investment in the future of economic development in our state."
Scott Marquardt Senior Program Officer, Southwest Initiative Foundation, Hutchinson, MN; EDAM Board Member
"Making the transition from college to the working world can be a daunting challenge.I was fortunate to receive some help from the EDAM Foundation.
I was awarded a scholarship from the foundation that enabled me to experience economic development first hand while doing an internship for the Wright County Economic Development Partnership under the guidance of Noel LaBine.This scholarship not only helped me pay for college but it also allowed me to build valuable networks with economic developers around the state.I graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Community Development in May of 2005.Since then I have been hired as the economic development coordinator for West Central Initiative in Fergus Falls, MN. With help from the EDAM Foundation I have been able to successfully transition from being a college student to being a working professional in the field of economic development."
Roberto Tapiz Economic Development Coordinator West Central Initiative, Fergus Falls, MN
"I owe a great deal of gratitude to the EDAM Foundation for its commitment and support of young professionals who are just beginning to make contributions to help strengthen Minnesotašs economy.As a former scholarship recipient at St. Cloud State University, I have been able to pursue an education enhanced by the principles of community and economic development, and experience its successes.In addition to a scholarship, I had the opportunity to participate in an EDAM supported internship with the City of Maple Grove, where I experienced first hand how a community embraces and facilitates economic growth. The combination of these two forms of assistance presented me with the opportunity to apply the methods I learned to my position in Lake City, and utilize that knowledge and experience toward attaining a common goal of building a stronger community."
Megan Wenker Assistant Planner, City of Lake City, MN
"The City of Maple Plain is on the fringe of a revival, and faces a number of challenges as a result. In addition to the Comprehensive Plan, the community has done a lot of work preparing for the future. The visit by the ERT team was extremely beneficial for the City's Council, EDA and staff. The working session helped generate new and additional ideas for redevelopment opportunities and how to approach a number of issues. The ERT team also gave us great ideas for how we can better connect with the existing businesses in the community."