Student Wins $1,000 Scholarship at Neighborfest

A senior majoring in English with an emphasis in creative writing was the lucky winner of the Alumni Association’s Neighborfest Scholarship for $1,000.

“I’m pretty excited. It’s a pretty cool opportunity for me,” said Cheyenne Nygaard, 19, of Pe Ell, Washington.

Nygaard, who arrived at EWU with two years of Running Start credits, was on the fence as to whether to even enter the annual scholarship drawing.

“I thought the odds of winning that were really, really slim,” says Nygaard, who was notified by email that her name had been drawn. “I was so shocked. Like I really thought there was no chance, because I know a bunch of people who entered.”

Kelsey Hatch-Brecek, director of alumni relations, says the EWU Alumni Association awarded $66,000 in scholarships during the 2023-2024 academic year, with a total of 22 scholarships given to students ranging from freshmen to graduate-level.

Those scholarships, which are $3,000 awards, along with Nygaard’s winning $1,000 scholarship, are funded by the Alumni Association’s Eagle Flights Wine Club and EWU license plates programs.

“Congratulations to this year’s recipient on her accomplishments and commitment to her future,” Hatch-Brecek says. “We are proud to support the next generation of Eagles with this scholarship. By investing in our students, we strengthen our community and carry forward a legacy of excellence, resilience, and pride.”

Nygaard, who belongs to the Alpha Omicron PI sorority, and plans to go to law school and, perhaps, write novels on the side, enjoys the work the group does to support different causes, including the Arthritis Foundation. She also likes the overall vibe at Eastern, which is a 6-hour drive from her hometown – close enough to travel home for holidays.

“Eastern has got a beautiful campus. The tuition here is great too, which was definitely a pretty big consideration when I was looking at where I wanted to go. I like the size of Eastern because it’s not tiny, but it’s also not huge – and I don’t get lost here.”

Nygaard, a top student, receives Honors and Soaring Eagle scholarships and works summers to help pay for college.  She plans to use the Alumni Association scholarship to cover books and basic living expenses – and is grateful for the overall support.

“For me, it takes a lot of the pressure off just to be able to focus on my school and I’m not worried about how I’m going to pay for it,” Nygaard said. “I’m just really glad to get this opportunity, it just really helps.”