William Tuchtenhagen, Pierce Pepin Cooperative Service’s (PPCS) very own cooperative business intern, is the proud winner of the $10,000 Glenn English National Cooperative Leadership Scholarship through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
To be eligible for this prestigious scholarship, applicants must have attended the NRECA Youth Tour in Washington D.C. at least once. Tuchtenhagen attended the Youth Tour twice, once in the summer of 2018 and then again as a junior chaperone in the summer of 2019. These opportunities gave Tuchtenhagen the experience he needed to be eligible for the scholarship.
Tuchtenhagen decided to apply for the Glenn English scholarship because of his experience with co-ops, youth programs, and interning. This leadership scholarship is very competitive, but Tuchtenhagen knew his strong resume would give him a chance to receive the scholarship, and he held out hope he could achieve his goal.
“I love how membership works,” Tuchtenhagen answered when asked his favorite aspects of electric co-ops. Tuchtenhagen likes how co-ops are member based rather than for-profit. He also has a strong belief in youth education; he knows how important it is to educate the next generation on co-ops.
Lastly, when asked what the most rewarding part of being part of the electric co-op world was, Tuchtenhagen did not hesitate to answer. “There are a lot of benefits,” he said. He enjoys being part of a greater community. At PPCS he especially feels like he is working for something greater than himself. Tuchtenhagen concluded with a lasting impression, “being part of a co-op community means there is somebody who cares about you and is looking out for your wellbeing.”
Tuchtenhagen is beyond grateful to NRECA and PPCS for giving him a chance to succeed in his college career and future. To watch Tuchtenhagen’s YouTube video detailing his experiences, check out the link: William Tuchtenhagen Glenn English Scholarship 2021 - YouTube
Congratulations again, William! PPCS and its staff are proud of all you have, and will continue, to accomplish.