The Krenov Foundation makes several scholarship awards to students entering both the first and second years of study at The Krenov School in amounts ranging from $1000 to $7,500.
Download the 2024 Krenov School Scholarship Application
Class of 2025 Scholarship Recipients
Kneeling: Fabian elmers
FRONT Row (l to r): shirley hsu, ELAN WEISZ, beatrix baker, julia farner, jayme schlimper, bonnie yu, vaughn gessley, SOLOMON brown
BACK Row (l to r): clay craig, julienne dawidoff, greg smith, paul reiber, Bruce hart, ron hock
Jack Romine Scholarship
Miles Gracey, 2019 Jack Romine Scholarship winner at his workbench
Steven Slusarski receiving his 2018 Jack Romine Scholarship Award from Board Member, Ron Hock
The Jack Romine Scholarship was endowed in memory of Jack Romine, a skilled amateur woodworker who greatly admired fine craftsmanship and the beauty of wood. Each year one first-year student at The Krenov School (formerly College of the Redwoods) Fine Woodworking program is selected to receive this $5,000 award based on merit and need. All first year applicants accepted to the program can apply for the Jack Romine Scholarship.
Recipients of the Jack Romine Scholarship
2024: Shirley Hsu
2023: Hunter Menken
2022: Marcus DiMaggio
2021: Austin Schuler
2020: Austin Schuler
2019: Miles Gracey
2018: Steven Slusarski
2017: Cooper Goldman
2016: Bec Evans
2015: Justin Mrazik
2014: Michael Ferrin
David Welter Scholarship
Zac Jurden, 2019 Winner of the David Welter Scholarship
David Welter and Erin Irber 2018 Scholarship winner
The David Welter Scholarship was created in David Welter’s name as a way to honor the many years David dedicated his time and energy to students. He retired from College of the Redwoods in the summer of 2016. David attended the CR Fine Woodworking Program from 1982-1984, then, for over 30 years, he worked at the school performing all the indispensable duties that kept students and other staff moving forward and then some, as well as teaching summer workshops. David maintains his own woodshop, was a good friend of James Krenov, has written many articles on woodworking, and is a former member of the Board of The Krenov Foundation.
Once applicants are selected for a second year at The Krenov School Fine Woodworking program they each become eligible to apply for the scholarship. Using merit and need as primary criteria, The Krenov Foundation’s Scholarship Committee then selects the recipient of the annual $3,000 David Welter Scholarship.
Recipients of the David Welter Scholarship
2024 Fabian Elmers
2019: Zac Jurden
2018: Erin Irber
2017: Mattie Hinkley
2016: Tom Lees
Smith-Sorenson Scholarships
From left to right, Clay Craig with 2018 Smith-Sorenson Scholarship winners, Scott Nelson and Matt Pool
From left to right, Clay Craig long time Krenov Foundation supporter with 2018 Smith-Sorenson Scholarship winners Scott Nelson and Matt Pool
The Smith-Sorenson Scholarships were created in honor of teaching woodworkers Greg Smith and Todd Sorenson. Both Smith and Sorenson are exceptional and tireless woodworkers who dedicate their time to teaching and to encouraging others to pursue the craft of fine woodworking.
Greg Smith was a member of the 1992 & 1993 class of the CR Fine Woodworking Program. His many years of professional woodworking include an artist-in-residency at the Appalachian Center for Crafts, while at the same time creating award-winning fine furniture. Todd Sorenson is a “reformed aerospace engineer” who was a member of classes 2001 and 2013. He took over from David Welter as the workshop manager in summer 2016.
Each year the TKF Scholarship Committee selects a first year student at The Krenov School Fine Woodworking Program and a second year student to receive Smith-Sorenson Scholarships, based on Merit and Need.
Recipients of Smith-Sorenson Scholarships
2024: Julia Farner
2024: Elan Weisz
2023: Marcus DiMaggio
2023: Scott Baxendale
2022: Austin Schuler
2022: Wade Warfield
2021: Miles Gracey
2021: Matthew Bruhn
2020: Nicole Muscat
2020: Shawn Culley
2019: Kellen Carr
2019: Matt Pool
2018: Matt Pool
2018: Scott Nelson
2017: William Leeser
2017: Bruce Hart
2016: Matt Giovingo
2016: Zac Lindemanm
2015: Doug Flack
2015: Brian Gallagher
Peter Mich Scholarships for Women in Woodworking
Grace Zahrah, 2019 Mich Scholarship Winner
Kristi Williams, 2019 Mich Scholarship Winner
From left to right Erin Irber, Laura Mays (School Director) and Emily Tillotson
Thanks to a grant from the McDougal Family Foundation in honor of Peter Mich, its recently retired Executive Director, The Krenov Foundation has been able to offer $3500 scholarships to women entering the school’s program in either the first or second year. One scholarship was offered in 2017 and two in 2018. As with our other Awards, merit and need are the primary selection criteria.
Recipients of Peter Mich Scholarships:
2023: Tessa Petrich
2022: Chuyi Cai
2022: Nicole Muscat
2020: Madeline Morrison
2019: Grace Zahrah
2019: Kristi Williams
2018: Emily Tillotson
2018: Erin Irber
2017: Mattie Hinckley
Maxwell-Hanrahan Scholarships for Women in Woodworking
Thanks to a grant from the Maxwell-Hanrahan Foundation, The Krenov Foundation has been able to offer $7000 scholarships to women entering the school’s program in either the first or second year. As with our other Awards, merit and need are the primary selection criteria.
Recipients of Maxwell-Hanrahan Women in Woodworking Scholarships:
2024: Beatrix Baker
2024: Jayme Schlimper
2023: Julienne Dawidoff
2023: Julia Farner
2022: Anjali Lohia
2022: Julienne Dawidoff
9-Month BIPOC Scholarships
The Krenov School BIPOC 9-Month Scholarships are intended to encourage and support attendance from people of color and others who have been historically underrepresented in the School, including Black, Indigenous, LatinX, and Asian Pacific Islander, and refugee or immigrant students.
Recipients of 9-Month BIPOC Scholarships:
2024: Bonnie Yu
2023: Bonnie Yu
2023: Jonathan Chao
Burns-Budlong Scholarships
Hanneke Lourens, 2019 Burns-Budlong Scholarship Winner
Byron Greene, 2019 Burns-Budlong Scholarship Winner
Initiated in 2019 and named in honor of retired School Director Michael Burns and long time Instructor Jim Budlong. Two scholarships are awarded yearly. Both first and second year students are eligible for these $2500 Scholarships.
Recipients of Burns-Budlong Scholarships:
2024: Solomon Brown
2023: Matthew Garcia
2022: Hunter Menken
2019: Hanneke Laurens
2019: Byron Greene
Summer BIPOC Scholarships
The Krenov School BIPOC Summer Scholarships are intended to encourage and support attendance from people of color and others who have been historically underrepresented in the School, including Black, Indigenous, LatinX, and Asian Pacific Islander, and refugee or immigrant students.
Winners of Summer BIPOC Scholarships:
2024: Stacey Lewis
2024: Diane Gomez
2023: Li Diaz
2023: Diane Gomez
2022: New Ngam
2022: Chanae Owens
2021: Kyja Jewelweed
2021: Donavon Falls
The Matt Mercaro Award
Matt Mecaro
In 2017 we lost Matt Mecaro shortly after graduation. In his honor the Mecaro family has donated generously to the Krenov Foundation.
Beyond his skills as a craftsman, the School’s faculty remember Matt for his generosity and unselfish willingness to offer help and encouragement to all his fellow classmates. In this spirit the Foundation has established the Matt Mecaro Award in his honor. The awardee is selected annually by the School’s faculty; it goes to the student who best exemplifies Matt’s generosity and unselfish willingness to do his best to foster a spirit of community
The Mecaro Bench which was created by his friends and classmates in 2017 sits at the entrance to school’s benchroom.
Winners of Matt Mecaro Award:
2022: Hayden Castagno
2019: Matt Pool
2018: Josh Sterns
2018: Josh Sterns
2019: Matt Pool