The Don V. and Dwylia R. Felt Scholarship Endowment was established in 2011 with the intent to help students overcome financial barriers. Don and Dwylia Felt moved to Greeley shortly after their marriage in 1947, when Dwylia began teaching first grade at Washington Elementary School. At that time, Dwylia also continued her education at the University of Northern Colorado earning both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree in Education.

Although Don passed away in 2006 and Dwylia passed in 2009, their legacy and impact continues today because of the estate gift that established an endowed scholarship in both of their names.

Tasha Westhoff is a recipient of the Don V. and Dwylia R. Felt Scholarship for the 2018-19 academic year. Westhoff is a senior from Glenwood Springs, Colo. studying Special Education. She plans to graduate this May and start graduate school next fall. Eventually she hopes to work on a college campus.

Westhoff says the decision to enroll at UNC was an easy one, because she likes how the UNC Special Education Program allows students to get classroom experience early in the program. She is extremely appreciative of the scholarship and says the financial support has enabled her to get more involved on campus.

“I’m in awe,” says Westhoff when asked about donor support. “I’m in awe that they’re willing to give back to people and students they don’t even know — like me.”

Westhoff is a member of the Residence Life staff and a new student orientation leader here at UNC. As a member of the Residence Life staff, she has always wanted to attend a residence hall community conference, but she didn’t have the funds to pay for the conference herself.

“Having donor support allowed me to attend the conference,” says Westhoff, and now she is putting the skills and knowledge she learned at that conference to work, helping other Bears every day.