Mark Lightfoot Scholarship Grant

The Mark Lightfoot Scholarship, established by the St. Croix Valley Foundation, supports students at Northwood Technical College's New Richmond branch pursuing welding. This scholarship honors Mark Lightfoot's legacy in metal fabrication and seeks graduates of St. Croix County high schools or current residents. Selection focuses on demonstrated commitment to the welding trades, reflecting the values of skill and perseverance that Lightfoot embodied, thus fostering future talent in this essential field.

St. Croix Valley Foundation
The St. Croix Valley Foundation is a community-based philanthropic organization that connects local generosity with meaningful impact across the St. Croix Valley region. It serves six counties along the St. Croix River—two in Minnesota and four in Wisconsin—and supports charitable funds, endowments, grants, scholarships, and nonprofit capacity-building. Since its founding in 1995, the Foundation has grown to more than 500 charitable funds and over $100 million in assets, and has facilitated more than $100 million in grants and scholarships.
Croix Valley and beyond. It operates through trusted stewardship, deep local knowledge, and strong regional partnerships to support the people, programs and ideas shaping life in the Valley.
The Foundation envisions thriving communities now and in the future, where investment in people, programs and place leads to enduring prosperity and wellbeing. It believes that legacy isn’t only what one leaves behind—it’s what one grows while living, and it invites donors to engage in giving today or plan for tomorrow in order to create something that matters for generations.
This scholarship honors the legacy of Mark Lightfoot, founder of Northern Metal Fab, whose dedication, craftsmanship, and innovation shaped the metal fabrication industry and inspired those around him. The award supports traditional or non-traditional students attending the New Richmond branch of Northwood Technical College to study welding. Eligible applicants must be graduates of a St. Croix County high school or current residents of St. Croix County. Selection is based on a demonstrated commitment to the welding trades, reflecting Mark Lightfoot’s values of skill, perseverance, and professional excellence.

Eligibility

For traditional or non-traditional students attending the New Richmond branch of Northwood Technical College (for welding).Must be either a graduate of a St. Croix County High School or currently live in St. Croix County. Key Selection Criteria: A commitment to the welding trades.