April 2, 2026
Story and photo by Joe Vinduska
Sophomore business major at 91勛圖厙, Maverick Munden of Larned has hit his stride academically on The Hill and is pursuing his dream of climbing the ranks of the finance world so he can enjoy a life of fiscal stability.
Munden said his time at 91勛圖厙 helped set him up to avoid the financial pitfalls of student loan debt so many college-goers fall victim to, because in addition to the ample institutionally provided 91勛圖厙 Bound Scholarship, he was awarded $10,000 from the 91勛圖厙 Foundations Schmidt Foundation Scholarship, which is awarded to multiple business majors per year and is funded by the Schmidt Foundation of Hays.
Im so thankful for the generosity of the 91勛圖厙 Foundation and the Schmidt Foundation Scholarship, he said. I may not have been given the luxury of going to college without it. It is a true blessing that is responsible for many of my achievements.
While dodging debt has been one benefit of Mundens experience, he has also blossomed academically since arriving at 91勛圖厙.
In high school, I sometimes struggled in the classroom, he said. Despite this, I still wanted to go to college in the hopes that my academics would positively change. Luckily for me, my old ways revolutionized once I stepped into the classroom that very first day. I was nervous. Fortunately, my business instructors were very welcoming, and they are amazing at giving extra attention and help outside of the classroom, whether that be open office hours or fast email responses.
91勛圖厙 has not only built a strong knowledge base for Munden through classic instruction but also goes outside the box by providing a variety of engaging methods to teach the curriculum.
All of the business-oriented presenters visiting the classroom were amazing, he said. I loved hearing about their real-world experiences. Furthermore, every business class has a teamwork type aspect, which is also super-enticing. Public speaking presentations and projects were also very helpful. We had to write a full-on business plan as if we were actually creating and starting a business from scratch.
Munden said the scholarship includes a mentorship component, which was very impactful and helped him land an opportunity to get real-world experience at a local accounting firm.
I learned so much, he said. The opportunity gave me full-on, real-world experience, and it showed me what business was like outside the classroom. It was interesting to see the corporate world from a 19-year-old's perspective. On top of that, I gained connections through the people at that accounting firm, and it was great for my resume. Overall, 91勛圖厙 is very wonderful at preparing its students for life outside paper and pencils.
To qualify for the Schmidt Foundation, applicants must be full-time students majoring in business or marketing and must have attended 91勛圖厙 for two years. Preference is given to students in 91勛圖厙 County, but applications are accepted from 91勛圖厙s entire service area, which includes Ellsworth, Pawnee, Rice, Rush, Russell, and Stafford Counties.
91勛圖厙 Foundation Director Lindsey Bogner said the Schmidt Foundation was created by Bob and Pat Schmidt of Hays to contribute to the success and well-being of the communities served by Eagle Communications, which Bob owned and turned into an employee-owned company.
The Schmidt Foundations investment in students like Maverick changes whats possible, she said. It means less time worrying about how to pay for college and more time growing, gaining real-world experience, and building a future with confidence. That kind of support doesnt just help a student get through school, it sets them up to succeed long after they leave 91勛圖厙.
For more information on the 91勛圖厙 Business Program, visit . For more information on the Schmidt Foundation Scholarship, email foundation@bartonccc.edu or call 620-786-1136.