The Paul Petzoldt Legacy Scholarship was created to recognize the founder of NOLS, and to provide a means for those he helped, to give something back to the school he started and to the future generations of students whose lives will be touched by Paul's vision. With contributions from over 200 donors the scholarship has been successfully endowed. The endowed scholarship was completed in August of 1999, and NOLS was able to inform Paul while he could still appreciate the honor.

A scholarship selection committee has been chosen for awarding the Petzoldt scholarship. Members of this committee are Bruce Cartwright, Paula Hunker and Diane Shoutis, all early alumni of the school.

The first Petzoldt Scholarship was awarded to Kara Halsey in July of 2000. Kara selected a Wind River 25 and Over trip. Her course leaders gave her an excellent evaluation on her course. Kara demonstrated good outdoor skills and commitment to continued improvement. Kara left this course with the knowledge, skills and confidence to successfully lead trips in the outdoors. The instructors also noted a tremendous change in Kara's confidence over the past two weeks and felt that her confidence will continue to grow after this course has ended.

For further information or to make a contribution to The Paul Petzoldt Legacy Scholarship contact the NOLS Alumni Office. Diane Newbury Shoutis a 1968 grad will be happy to answer any of your questions. She can be reached at 1-800-332-4280 or by e-mail at diane_shoutis@nols.edu.

This scholarship enables a deserving individual to take any course in Wyoming up to 30 days in length. To apply, applicants must complete a Paul Petzoldt Legacy Scholarship application and submit it along with a letter of recommendation from a NOLS grad who completed their course 20 years prior to the start of the applicant's course date. These applications must be received on or before February 1 of each year. Applications may also be obtained from the alumni office, 1-800-332-4280 or email diane_shoutis@nols.edu.

Download application (pdf) here.

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Last Mountain Man? Not if He Can Help It by Jane Howard. Life magazine, December 19, 1969.

Paul Tells His Story by Molly Absolon.The Leader, Fall 1995.

"This was a man to match our mountains," by Kerry Brophy. The Leader, Fall 1999.

Old Man of the Mountains Dies at 91: Paul Kiesow Petzoldt, January 16, 1908 - October 6, 1999. NOLS Press Release, October 7, 1999.

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