One of our incredible Tigers, Rowan Jolkowski, class of 2025, was awarded the Spirit of Dru Scholarship in May. Jolkowski is one of five students nationwide who received the scholarship. Since Jolkowski is very active on campus, you might find him working toward his psychology degree with an English writing minor and a certificate in integrated humanities.
He also holds many leadership positions and involved in multiple groups across campus:
- NorthSide Senior Community Advisor
- DEI intern
- Alpha Lambda Delta honor society
- Omicron Delta Kappa honor society
- Cardinal Key honor society
- Psi Chi honors society
- Choir member
- Theatre member
- Chi Delta Sorority
- Greek Council president
- PRISM (People for the Rights of Individuals of Sexual Minorities) president
For the scholarship, he submitted two essays about, "How would a Spirit of Drew Scholarship help you make a positive impact and continue your work in the LGBTQ+ community?" and, "In what ways has your intersectionality impacted you as a leader, or what have you learned from those who are intersectional?" Jolkowski wrote about his personal experiences and leadership abilities at Doane for the last few years, especially his advocacy work with PRISM.
“The Spirit of Drew scholarship would help me continue the work I've been putting into restarting my school's LGBTQ group [PRISM] on campus and set it up for success for the future years,” Jolkowski said.
The scholarship is part of The Dru Project, a nonprofit that works to spread love and support LGBTQ+ youth in honor of Drew Leinonen, who was a victim at the Pulse Nightclub Shooting in 2016. Leinonen launched the first gay-straight alliance in 2002 at Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida. This move eventually earned him the Anne Frank Humanitarian Award from the Florida Holocaust Museum.
To learn more about The Dru Project: thedruproject.org
