2021 Scholarship Opportunities from Paul Bunyan Communications
High School Scholarships
Each year, our cooperative provides at least 2, $500 scholarships to 12 area high schools within or near our service territory. The application process, winners, and distribution of funds are handled by each high school independent of Paul Bunyan Communications.
Paul Bunyan Communications Scholarships are available at Bemidji High School, Bigfork High School, Blackduck High School, Cass Lake High School, Deer River High School, Grand Rapids High School, Kelliher High School, Laporte High School, Northome High School, Park Rapids High School, Red Lake High School, and Walker-Hackensack-Akeley High School
To apply for the Paul Bunyan Communications Scholarship at one of these high schools, please speak to the high school counselor or career service office.
Post-Secondary Scholarships
In addition to High School Scholarships, Paul Bunyan Communications provides scholarship opportunities to the following post secondary institutions: Bemidji State University, Northwest Technical College, Itasca Community College, Red Lake Nation College, Leech Lake Tribal College, and Oak Hills Christian College.
There are several scholarships totaling over $20,000 annually available to students attending Bemidji State University that are current members of Paul Bunyan Communications or a parent/legal guardian is a member. Applications are available in the BSU Admissions Office. Deadline for applications is February 1, 2021.
One $500 scholarship is awarded annually to a NTC student that is a current member or who has a parent/legal guardian that is a member of Paul Bunyan Communications. Applications are available in the NTC Admissions office or online at www.NTCmn.edu under scholarships. Deadline for applications is March 31, 2021.
One $500 scholarship is awarded annually at Itasca Community College, Red Lake Nation College, Leech Lake Tribal College and Oak Hills Christian College to a student that is a current member or who has a parent/legal guardian that is a member of Paul Bunyan Communications.
To apply for the Paul Bunyan Communications Scholarship at one of these post-secondary institutions, speak to the Admissions or Career Service office at the school you attend.
Minnesota Telecom Alliance Foundation Scholarship
Paul Bunyan Communications participates in the MTA’s scholarship program which awards five $2,000 scholarships to Minnesota high school seniors each year.
The application for 2020 can be downloaded at https://www.mnta.org/page/Scholarship and must be turned in to Paul Bunyan Communications no later than February 19, 2021.
A telecom alliance panel reviews each application and selects the finalists based on applicants’ grades, academic achievements and extra-curricular activities. Preference to receive the scholarships is given to students who have an interest in telecommunications technology and rural communities.
The Foundation is part of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance, a trade organization representing 86 telephone companies and cooperatives in the state.
Foundation for Rural Service Scholarship
Paul Bunyan Communications participates in the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) scholarship program which awards 30 $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors throughout the country each year.
Applications can also be downloaded from the FRS web site at https://www.frs.org/programs/youth-programs/scholarships
Completed applications should be sent directly to FRS, postmarked no later than March 5, 2021. Applications postmarked to FRS after this date will NOT be accepted.
Please note the applicant or their parent/legal guardian must be a member of Paul Bunyan Communications (PBC) Cooperative to apply through PBC and that a signature of a PBC employee is required to be considered eligible.
Established in 1994, FRS, in cooperation with the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA), seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life throughout Rural America by advancing an understanding of rural telecommunications issues. In keeping with its mission, furthering the education of rural youth is one of the foundation’s primary focuses. Our cooperative, Paul Bunyan Communications, is a member of NTCA and is proud to support FRS in this worthy endeavor.
Since 2004, Paul Bunyan Communications has offered low cost cable television advertising through Paul Bunyan Television and now the cooperative has partnered with Pinnacle Marketing Group to handle sales and production of PBTV advertising. 
Service interruption of some individual channels on Paul Bunyan Television may occur during the late afternoon hours through October 15 due to solar interference. During the interference, reception may range from minor sparkles to loss of reception or picture freezing.
The 2020 Annual Business Meeting of Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative was held June 24. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the business of the members to be conducted at the Annual Meeting was done exclusively by mail ballot. The proposed bylaw amendments were approved with 1844 in favor, 47 against.
Instead of the regular fall distribution, Paul Bunyan Communications has sent out the 2020 Capital Credit return early to its members and it is the largest return in the cooperative’s history, over $4.1 million.
