SMSU Awards Full-Rides to Three Outstanding Students

Published Tuesday, March 03, 2026

Pictured left-right: Emily Brown, KayAnna Gehrke, and Nuurto Ibrahim.

Three high-achieving high school seniors were recently awarded full-ride scholarships to Southwest Minnesota State University as part of the President’s Regional Scholars program. This year’s recipients are: Emily Brown, Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School; KayAnna Gehrke, New London-Spicer High School; and Nuurto Ibrahim, Marshall Senior High School. Each of the three will receive full-ride scholarships as they start their college careers at SMSU in the Fall Semester 2026. The full-ride scholarships are for four years.

About the 2026 Full-Ride Recipients:

Emily Brown is the daughter of Amber and Chad Brown of New Ulm, Minn. Emily attends Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School in New Ulm. She is planning on majoring in Exercise Science and wants to be a dietitian.

“At SMSU, I am looking forward to meeting new friends and being a part of the track team. I’m also excited to figure out what life on my own looks like,” Emily said. “With my degree, I would like to help train athletes to teach them how to build mental and physical strength. When I go on to earn my master’s to be a dietitian, I want to advocate for healthy eating and living, to help everyone feel confident in their bodies.”

KayAnna Gehrke is the daughter of Brenda and Jeremy Gehrke of Spicer, Minn. KayAnna attends New London-Spicer High School. She plans to major in Elementary Education and wants to become a teacher.

“I'm really looking forward to diving into the vibrant community at SMSU! I can't wait to meet new people, make lasting friendships, and explore different clubs and activities to really get involved on campus and create some amazing memories,” KayAnna explained. “With my elementary education degree, I hope to gain all the essential skills and knowledge to become an inspiring and effective teacher. My biggest goal is to make a real difference in young lives and positively contribute to my community through education.”

Nuurto Ibrahim is the daughter of Farhia Noor and Osman Ibrahim of Marshall, Minn. She attends Marshall High School. She plans to major in Computer Science and Pre-Pharmacy at SMSU.

“I am looking forward to making new friends, joining clubs, and also learning and gaining new knowledge from my majors,” said Nuurto. “[This scholarship] motivates me to make the most of my university experience and give back through my achievements to the people who believed in me. With my degrees, I hope to create new ideas and use what I learned to make a meaningful impact on as many people as possible and help them in many ways.”

The students were selected for their outstanding academic achievements and for their performance during in-person interviews with SMSU faculty, staff, and alumni volunteers. Launched in 2019, the President’s Regional Scholars program features six scholarship levels ranging from $2,000 to a full ride over four years.

“The President’s Regional Scholars program was designed to welcome exceptional students from our region to SMSU,” said Charlotte Wahle, Director of Admission at SMSU. “Once again, I am inspired by the remarkable talent and ambition these students bring to the process. We’re thrilled to welcome them into the Mustang Family this fall.”

For further information about the Southwest Scholars event, the President’s Regional Scholars program, and the Southwest Guarantee that provides scholarships for students who meet ACT and GPA requirements, contact the Office of Admission at: 507-537-6286; Admission@smsu.edu. To learn more about the many ways SMSU is helping students pay for college through grants, scholarships, and other award programs, including free tuition for qualified students through the North Star Promise, visit www.SMSU.edu/go/free.