NW Missouri Times

Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corporation, a significant economic contributor in northwest Missouri for over 30 years and the county’s largest employer, is continuing its support of Northwest Missouri State University through funding aimed at assisting students and programs. This spring, Kawasaki donated $40,000 to support two scholarship programs as well as the University’s Visiting Writers Series.

“Kawasaki’s continued investment in student learning is admirable and appreciated,” said Jill Brown, director of corporate relations and a major gift officer at Northwest. “This type of generous sustained support has ripple effects for students, Northwest, and the entire Bearcat community for generations to come.”

A gift of $25,000 from Kawasaki will support its Kawasaki Kids: Powering Your Potential Scholarship for Northwest students. Launched during the 2019-20 academic year, the scholarship is available to full-time freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Northwest who maintain a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 and are dependents of employees at the manufacturer’s Maryville, Boonville or Lincoln facilities. At least 12 students will receive the scholarship for 2024-25, bringing the total number of awards to 77 since its inception.

Kawasaki also provided $10,000 to continue the Kawasaki Powering Dreams Scholarship which assists Northwest students who are “caught in the middle” academically and financially. The scholarship has been awarded to 52 students since it was established in 2016. It is administered by the University based on a comprehensive view of which students will benefit most from it. Consequently, both the scholarship amount and number of recipients vary annually depending on need.

Additionally, Kawasaki annually provides $5,000 to support Northwest’s Visiting Writers Series. This initiative brings nationally recognized fiction writers, poets and writers of creative nonfiction to campus for presentations and readings throughout the academic year.

“Kawasaki believes our support fosters opportunities for students that may otherwise not have access to higher education and unique learning experiences offered through Northwest – opportunities and experiences that reap long-term benefits for these individuals and their communities,” said Brittney Langston, assistant manager of human resources at Kawasaki.

Since 1989, Kawasaki's support through the Northwest Foundation has totaled $1.2 million including contributions towards Bearcat athletics programs. The company has also supported initiatives such as a STEM workshop for area educators and scholarships for students studying abroad.

The Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation that develops philanthropic resources benefiting Northwest Missouri State University and its students. For more information or to make a donation supporting Northwest Missouri State University contact the Office of University Advancement at 660-562-1248.