The Margaret Swanberg Scholarship
Introduction
The Margaret Swanberg Scholarship Selection Committee (MSSS) is inviting all eligible students to apply. The scholarship, established in 2012 for individuals who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate level degree, is $1,000 and will be awarded on Sunday, December 28.
Margaret Swanberg (1910–2012) practiced her faith at First United Methodist Church in Duluth.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Margaret Swanberg Scholarship, the applicant must be
- a member of First United Methodist Church or have family who are members.
- a woman (divorced, widowed, single parent) who needs to return to school to be trained or retrained to find a suitable job in the working world, OR
- a student graduating from high school who wishes to prepare to become a minister, Christian education director, counselor, or social worker, OR
- a student graduating from high school who wishes to become an early education teacher, kindergarten teacher, or primary school teacher.
- have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
The Margaret Swanberg Scholarship Selection Committee has discretion in determining if the applicant’s studies meet these criteria.
Applying
The application packet must include:
• The completed MSSS application form.
• A brief statement about how the candidate believes their education/career choice would benefit the community. This statement should also include how they meet the criteria set in Margaret Swanberg’s bequest.
• High school and/or college transcript(s).
• Current letters of recommendations from two parties, unrelated to the applicant, who know the applicant well.
The application form should be downloaded (link below), filled out and submitted with all documentation by November 22, 2025:
• by mailing or delivering to FUMC, 230 E Skyline Parkway, Duluth, MN 55811, OR
• by emailing to Pamela Brown
Questions may also be submitted by email to Pamela Brown
We’ve noticed that some browsers and pdf readers have difficulties with certain elements of the fillable form. We recommend Downloading the form and using Adobe Acrobat Reader to fill it out. There are many other apps that will also work well.
Margaret Swanberg Scholarship Application Form
Join us for an organ recital exploring music written by women composers. Three accomplished local organists, including our own Velda Graham Bell, will perform works by Emma Lou Diemer, Celina Kobetitsch, Rachel Laurin, Isabella Leonarda, Brenda Portman, Florence Price, Ghislaine Reece-Trapp, and Gwyneth Walker. Velda will be joined by Rachael Kresha, organist at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, and Karen Sande, organist at First Lutheran Church in Duluth.
