St. Olaf Students Win Phillips Scholarships Minnesota

Two St. Olaf College students earned 2026–27 Phillips Scholarships from the Minnesota Private College Fund to develop community programs this summer. José Antonio Preciado '28 and Hemen Belete '29 were among 10 students selected statewide for the competitive program, which provides $9,000 in funding and professional development support.

Belete, a computer science major from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will create a hands-on STEM summer program for high school students. Participants will build semiconductor wafers and work with coding tools. Belete discovered her passion for STEM through a Virginia Tech summer program and wants to create similar opportunities for students who might not seek out technology on their own.

Preciado, a social work and theater major from Dallas, Texas, will develop a youth theater and storytelling program to help children find their voices. Theater helped Preciado overcome a speech impediment as a young person. He plans to pursue therapeutic theater professionally.

Preciado and Belete encouraged other St. Olaf students to apply for the 2027–28 cohort. "The Phillips Scholars program lets you practice your leadership and creativity," Preciado said.