An Expanded Partnership with the Otto Bremer Trust

Wallin Education Partners Receives a $750,000 Investment from the Otto Bremer Trust

MINNEAPOLIS, [March 14, 2019] — Wallin Education Partners (Wallin EP) today announced that it had received a $750,000 grant from the Otto Bremer Trust, making a transformational investment that will help the organization build capacity to serve additional low-income students attending both four-year universities and colleges and community colleges.

“Receiving this significant grant from the Otto Bremer Trust will accelerate our ability to serve additional students and strengthen our curriculum to maintain the extraordinarily high six-year college graduation rate of scholars (90%). This generous level of commitment from the Otto Bremer Trust will have a positive impact on our program, our scholars and their families, and the community. We are very thankful,” said Susan Basil King, Executive Director.

Wallin EP combines financial aid with comprehensive, individualized advising support, workshops to build financial acumen, and college-to-career readiness efforts to guide scholars to employment or graduate school decisions.  Wallin EP works closely with high school and college/university partners to leverage all sources of support for scholars.  In addition, scholars meet donors, a unique element that provides an additional connection to caring adults who are interested in their success.

Each year, the organization receives approximately three times more scholar applications than it can support. This investment from the Otto Bremer Trust will accelerate Wallin EP’s ability to raise awareness of its work, identify new donor partners and ultimately serve more students. In addition, this capacity building support will allow for program enhancements including development of a new college-to-career curriculum and relationship building with businesses in need of talent.

“Wallin Education Partners is a highly effective model for providing essential support for low-income students as they seek to achieve their educational goals,” said Charlotte Johnson, co-CEO and Trustee, of OBT.  “We’ve admired the extraordinary commitment they’ve made to ensuring student success through donor support from the community.  We believe OBT’s investment will stimulate additional investment in this remarkable program.”

About Wallin Education Partners
Wallin Education Partners is a highly effective college-completion program that combines financial aid with a comprehensive, individualized, advising support, workshops to build financial acumen, and college to career services to ensure graduation. In addition, scholars meet donors, a unique elementthat provides caring adultswho are interested in their success. Today, Wallin Education Partners celebrates a 90% graduation rate of scholars earning their college degrees within six years. Wallin Education Partners has a 95% career placement rate, an 80% regional retention rate, and 39% of students graduate with no debt.

About the Otto Bremer Trust
The Otto Bremer Trust, based in St. Paul, Minn., is a private charitable trust established in 1944 by founder Otto Bremer, a successful banker and community business leader. OBT owns 92 percent of Bremer Bank and manages a diversified investment portfolio. The mission of OBT is to invest in people, places, and opportunities in the Upper Midwest. Since its inception, OBT has invested more than $700 million in organizations throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and western Wisconsin. Visit www.ottobremer.org.