MADISON, Wisconsin—Twenty-five Iowa and Wisconsin high school seniors received $1,000 Innovation Scholarships from Alliant Energy. The annual scholarships, to be used for higher education expenses, reflect students’ academic achievements and outstanding leadership in their communities.
Students demonstrated leadership through community service and volunteer work, as well as academic achievement. Each student submitted a written essay identifying a problem in their community and proposed a creative solution using science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) concepts.
“Preparing students with the skills needed to succeed in a modern workforce is a critical investment in our future,” said Andy Kitslaar, Manager of Community Affairs, Alliant Energy. “By supporting STEM learning and career readiness, we’re helping students take meaningful steps toward in-demand careers.”
Lucy Zaleski of Stratford High School in Stratford, Wisconsin expressed gratitude for the scholarship.
“Receiving this STEM scholarship from Alliant Energy means so much to me as I pursue a career in pharmacy at UW–La Crosse. It eases the financial burden of my education and will allow me to focus on my studies and future goals. I am truly grateful for this support, which brings me closer to a career where I can help improve access to medications for those who need them most. ”
Congratulations to all the 2026 Alliant Energy Innovation Scholarship recipients.
| STUDENT | HIGH SCHOOL NAME | CITY, STATE |
| Caydence Boals | Adair Casey/Guthrie Center High School | Guthrie Center, IA |
| Luke Boyle | Western Dubuque High School | Peosta, IA |
| Emerson Briggs | Albany School District | Albany, WI |
| Cortlynn Cook | Central Decatur | Van Wert, IA |
| Kaelee DeRemer | Milton High School | Janesville, WI |
| Jarren Faehling | Marion Jr/Sr High | Marion, WI |
| Ian Giddings | Decorah High School | Decorah, IA |
| Landon Gjerde | Colo-Nesco CSD | McCallsburg, IA |
| Caleb Heiser | Monticello High School | Monticello, WI |
| Tara Hennings | Tipton High School | Bennett, IA |
| Gabrielle “Gabby” Hostettler | Winneconne High School | Berlin, WI |
| Noah Lange | Iowa-Grant High School | Cobb, WI |
| Lilly Luchini | Wild Rose High School | Wild Rose, WI |
| Andrew “AJ” Maloney | Center Point Urbana High School | Center Point, IA |
| Ashley McDonald | Belmont Community School District | Darlington, WI |
| Kelsey Moore | Wautoma High School | Wautoma, WI |
| Lilly Musgrove | Milton High School | Janesville, WI |
| Oakley Omernik | Almond Bancroft High School | Almond, WI |
| Abigail Schmidgall | Mediapolis High School | Mediapolis, IA |
| Natalie Stevens | Decorah High School | Decorah, IA |
| Max Trujillo-Garcia | AC/GC High School | Guthrie Center, IA |
| Belle Werner | Benton Community Senior High School | Toledo, IA |
| Will Wernimont | Dubuque Senior High School | Dubuque, IA |
| Nolan Williams | Durant High School | Stockton, IA |
| Lucy Zaleski | Stratford High School | Stratford, WI |
Recipients must be age 24 or under and enrolling for the first time at an undergraduate school. They also must reside within Alliant Energy’s service territory at the time of application and be a dependent child of a current Alliant Energy customer or a customer themselves.
More information on the Innovation Scholarships and a full list of scholarships offered by Alliant Energy can be found at alliantenergy.com/scholarship.
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