Recipient of John Kenneth Niemi Memorial Tool Fund, 2020 Fall Semester
I'm Tamara Topley, an aspiring welder with dreams of becoming a furniture artist. This scholarship will help me achieve my dreams of becoming a welder and earning a college degree. In 2019 I took a leave of absence to pursue a degree in Welding and Metal Fabrication at Minneapolis College. I did this while simultaneously becoming a first-time parent to twins! Perseverance pays off. I have a cumulative 4.0 GPA in my first three semesters, and my 14-month old twins are alive, well-adjusted, and maintain an OSHA-approved distance while I'm working.