Madison Rotary Foundation
Scholarship Program
Another very
important program to the community is the Madison Rotary
Foundation Scholarship program. Each year twenty-one area high
school students receive four-year college scholarship assistance
based on their academic standing, character and leadership
abilities, contributions to their schools and communities and
financial need.
In 2008, twenty high school seniors were awarded four-year
scholarship assistance and one student received a two-year scholarship. Scholarships awarded totaled over $216,000
and scholarships ranged from
$600 to $5,000 per year for four years.
The Madison Rotary Foundation Scholarships provide awards through nine
named scholarship funds within our Madison Rotary Foundation. Gifts of
$50,000 or more to the Madison Rotary Foundation are used to establish a
named scholarship within our Foundation. A Rotary Committee annually
selects students in accordance with the wishes of the donors.
Applicants chosen are students with high academic standing with
character and leadership ability who have made contributions to their
schools and communities and have financial need.
In 2008, a Synergy Scholarship Fund was established in celebration of our Madison Rotary Foundation's 75th Anniversary.
Now all members have an opportunity to assist in funding scholarships. Once the fund reached $50,000 in 2009, our Foundation
named its first Synergy Scholarship recipient.
The ten named funds are as follows:
Nathan F. Brand
Frederic S. Brandenburg
Harry L. French
Louis Hirsig
Dr. Thomas Leonard
Irving and Dorothy Levy Family
Andrew A. McBeath
Regina M. Millner
Synergy Scholarship Fund
Mike and Pat Wilson
Here are brief biographies on the ten
named funds:
Nathan (Nate) F. Brand
Nate Brand grew up in Monroe, Wisconsin,
and came to Madison after receiving a B.A. Degree from Ripon College.
He is an entrepreneur who has founded several Madison businesses and who
is active in the community. Nate has served as a director on a number
of business and community boards. Nate takes great pride in his
participation in the Rotary Club of Madison, and he has held 100% weekly
attendance since joining in 1979 and has also served on both the club
and foundation boards.
Frederic (Heggie) S. Brandenburg
Mr. Brandenburg was the president of
Democrat Printing, Inc., predecessor company to Webcrafters, Inc. A
past secretary, president, and district governor of Rotary, he was also
a philanthropist and civic leader who actively supported the Vilas Park
Zoo and the United Way. His special interest in young people and in
scouting prompted him to donate the land for Camp Brandenburg. In
addition, he established a scholarship program prior to his death.
Harry L. French
As a young man, Harry L. French came to
Madison from Monroe in 1905. In 1917 he became a General Agent for
Northwest Mutual Life Insurance Co. Mr. French became a Rotarian in
1919 and was president of the club from 1925‑26. He was a charter
member of the Madison Rotary Foundation. He passed away in 1961,
leaving his estate in trust to his wife with the provision that after
her death (which occurred in 1973), it would be used to provide
scholarships for worthy students.
Louis Hirsig
Mr. Hirsig came to Madison from his native
Monroe in 1904 and was owner of Wolff, Kubly and Hirsig Company in
Madison. He was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Madison, served
as president in 1917‑18, and held 100% attendance for more than 46
years. He passed away in 1959. In 1994, Mrs. Josephine Hirsig Martin
established the Hirsig Scholarship Fund in the name of her father, Louis
Hirsig.
Thomas Leonard
Thomas A. Leonard, M.D., was born in
Middletown, Ohio and came to Madison in 1924. He was a member of the
Rotary Club of Madison for 51 years, serving on its board of directors
from 1943‑45. Dr. Leonard was a well known Obstetrician and
Gynecologist at Madison General Hospital and served on the faculty of
the University of Wisconsin. He was a community leader, philanthropist,
writer and humanitarian and was a pioneer and founder of several medical
organizations. Upon his death in 1989 at the age of 91, Dr. Leonard
established a scholarship fund in the Madison Rotary Foundation.
Irving and Dorothy Levy Family
The Levy family has a long-established
history of commitment to the Madison community, and they have been
involved in Rotary since the 1960’s. The family has owned a wholesale
beverage business, Phillips Distribution Corporation, since the 1920’s.
Irving Levy, the father, has been involved in the business for most of
his life. His sons, Jeff and Marv are also involved in the business and
son Phil owns Phillip Levy Fine Furniture & Interior Design. Dorothy
Levy, beloved wife of Irving and loving mother of Jeff, Marv and Phil,
passed away in 2002. In 2004, the family established the Irving and
Dorothy Levy Family Scholarship Fund within the Madison Rotary
Foundation.
Andrew (Andy) A. McBeath
Andy McBeath grew up in Madison and
received his M.D. Degree from the U.W.-Madison Medical School in 1961.
Andy was Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Wisconsin
Hospital & Clinics for 25 years and designed a hip prosthesis, a
man-made joint used in hip replacement surgeries. He joined the Rotary
Club of Madison in 1977. Upon his death in 2002, Andy established a
scholarship fund within the Madison Rotary Foundation.
Regina M. Millner
Regina Millner joined the Rotary Club of Madison in 1994
and served as President of the Rotary Club of Madison in 2006-07. She has also served as
a Trustee of the Madison Rotary Foundation. She holds a J.D. Degree from the UW-Madison
Law School and owns RMM Enterprises, a firm that specializes in complex real estate projects.
Active in our community, she has served on the boards of DMI, Meriter Hospital, TEMPO Madison,
MG&E, Wisconsin Alumni Association, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Madison Children’s Museum.
Synergy Scholarship Fund
A Synergy Scholarship Fund was established within our Madison Rotary
Foundation in 2008, in celebration of our Foundation's 75th Anniversary. This new fund
provided an opportunity for Rotarians and individuals to make contributions to enhance our
annual four-year college Scholarship Program. Synergy allows Rotarians and individuals to
combine efforts and, together, support the Foundation's scholarship program, taking pride
in being able to provide a helping hand to deserving and needy high school graduates from our
community. This is the essence of synergy: the whole is greater than the sum
of its parts.
Mike and Pat Wilson
Mike and Pat Wilson established an
endowment fund within our Madison Rotary Foundation in memory of Mike’s
mother, Mollie Wilson, who passed away in 2004 in New Zealand. Mike
joined the Rotary Club of Madison in 1987, has maintained 100%
attendance since 1991 and holds two Paul Harris Fellows. He has served
on the Club Board of Directors and is a past chair of the Youth Awards
Committee. Mike's wife, Pat, shares his interest in helping youth in our
community to succeed.
Please note: Scholar nominations are
selected on the advice of Madison high school guidance counselors. If
you or a student you know (must be a high school senior) are interested
in being nominated, please contact your high school counselor.
Nominations are made on the advice of the
counselors and student peers. | 
