A scholarship established by a Britton family is helping support future nurses at Northern State University while honoring a loved one’s legacy in northeastern South Dakota.
The Carol and Bruce Anderson Family Memorial Nursing Scholarship was created by Bruce Anderson of Britton following the death of his wife, Carol, in 2022. Wanting to recognize her life in a meaningful way, Anderson chose to support students pursuing nursing careers. The scholarship is open to South Dakota residents enrolled in an accredited pre licensure registered nurse program, with preference given first to Britton residents, followed by students from Brown, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Marshall, McPherson, Roberts and Spink counties. Applicants must also provide letters of recommendation highlighting leadership, compassion, community involvement and character.
This year’s recipient is Northern State University nursing student Kailyn Poppen, an Aberdeen native and junior in the university’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, with plans to graduate in spring 2027. In addition to her nursing studies, Poppen is a member of the NSU women’s soccer team and has earned both the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship and the Wolf PACT Scholarship.
“NSU has definitely pushed me to grow, but I’ve also felt supported the whole way, both in the classroom and on the field,” Poppen said.
Poppen hopes to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist and is active outside the classroom as a soccer player and ice skating instructor.
“Kailyn exemplifies exactly the kind of student our new BSN program was built for, driven, compassionate and deeply connected to this region,” said Dr. Lyncee Monson, associate dean of nursing at Northern State University.
For more information about the scholarship or to contribute, visit sdcommunityfoundation.org.
