2026 SMSU President's Regional Scholars Full-Ride Recipient: KayAnna Gehrke

Welcome to the Mustang Family! KayAnna Gehrke, from New London, MN, is one of this year’s recipients of the full-ride scholarship through the SMSU President’s Regional Scholars Program. KayAnna plans on studying Elementary Education at SMSU this Fall. Congratulations, KayAnna!

Three full-ride scholarships are awarded to high-achieving students within the southwest Minnesota region as the top tier of awards in the President’s Regional Scholars Award program. Launched in 2019, the Regional Scholars program features scholarship levels that range from $2,000 to a full ride over four years.

The students were selected through a combination of their outstanding academic achievements and interviews with SMSU faculty, staff, and alumni! Watch the surprise!

Published: Wednesday, March 04, 2026