Furois family creates BHSU scholarship for students encouraging college graduation

Picture of Ed and Mary Furois in the Joy Center at BHSU
Black Hills State University is offering a new scholarship for incoming students who require continued academic accommodations. The Ed and Mary Furois Family Scholarship was established this year after a vehicle auction at the BHSU Scholarship Gala last summer netted $25,000 for students.

The annual award is designed to encourage students to attend and complete their college education.  Having an Individual Education Plan (IEP) in high school is the foremost qualification.  Student selection for freshman applicants will focus on the content of the student essay portion of the general application.  Rather than traditional requirements, this essay is based on questions like “why are you getting a college education” and “what are your life plans after you graduate?”

Students that receive the scholarship can get a renewed amount each year if they continue to meet the requirements. The distribution increases during the student’s junior/senior year as an incentive for them to complete their education.

“Mary and her late husband Ed have been longtime supporters of BHSU and the entire Spearfish community. It is so appropriate that we will have a scholarship in their name that will help students in perpetuity,” says Steve Meeker, vice president for University Advancement.

Both Mary and Ed graduated from BHSU and over the years have received many awards in recognition of their support of BHSU and the Spearfish community. The Furois’ received the Special Service Award in 2006 at the annual BHSU awards Spirit of Spearfish Award from the Spearfish Chamber of Commerce in 1999, and were honored as the South Dakota Retail Couple in 1997.

“Spearfish was our home for such a long time. We were here as a married couple for nearly 60 years, and we attended many events at the college,” Mary shares. “I also became active in the Alumni Board at BHSU.”

After Ed passed away in April 2018, Mary donated to BHSU a 1948 Willy Overland Jeepster that Ed had restored. Ed was a longtime car collector and he purchased the car in 1955. The car raised $25,000 at the live auction during the BHSU Scholarship Gala last summer.

Funds from the auction have been put into an endowment to benefit BHSU students.

Mary says that she intended the scholarship for incoming students because BHSU was a big part of her family’s history. It is important to her that BHSU continues to have a strong future.

Scholarships allow students to focus on their studies by relieving financial burden. Meeker says, “Scholarships are more critical today than they have ever been. Students are having a difficult time affording their degrees in today’s world, so the Furois’ gift couldn’t have been more timely.”

New BHSU students can apply for the Ed and Mary Furois Family Scholarship through the BHSU Office of Admissions. The first scholarship will be awarded to BHSU students in the fall.

BHSU offers a wide variety of scholarships for both new and current students. For more information visit www.BHSU.edu/Scholarship or contact BHSU Admissions at Admissions@BHSU.edu or 605-642-6131.

About BHSU
Black Hills State University is a masters-level state university with more than 3,800 students. The campus leads the region in sustainability efforts and maintains top academic programs in business (AACSB accredited), exercise science, natural sciences, social sciences, the arts, mass communication, health sciences and education. The University, founded in 1883, is located in the northern Black Hills, a region abundant with outdoor activity and culture. Spearfish, S.D., is recognized as one of the top 10 most livable small towns in the USA and has also been recognized nationally for outdoor recreational opportunities. A second location, BHSU-RC, was established in Rapid City, the state’s second-largest city. BHSU, a member of NCAA Division II athletics, offers 14 sports and has a legacy of champion rodeo teams.