Wittenberg, Wis. – December 1, 2014 – Associated Bank recently awarded Beth Koeppel, a student at Clemson University, with a $2,500 “Good Fit” scholarship for writing about what a good fit meant for her when choosing her college. Koeppel is from Wittenberg, Wisconsin.

The scholarship money will be paid directly to her university for the 2014-2015 school year to help with tuition, fees, books and supplies expenses.

This scholarship was awarded to only eight students out of nearly 800 entries throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. Recipients were chosen based on their ability to creatively express why their university is a good fit.

“I’m very proud to work for an organization that is so dedicated to our communities and to our customers,” said Jason Rosenow, bank manager, Associated Bank. “The ‘Good Fit’ scholarship really helps to reinforce our local involvement, especially in small villages like Wittenberg. It also helps us to assist these students with the high cost of education, making it more affordable for them to secure their good fit.”

The scholarship application process provided students the opportunity to not only describe why they have found a good fit at their university, but also to reward them for their abilities to tell their story on the journey to finding their good fit. Associated believes that finding this fit is imperative to the students’ success because it will also help lead them to the path of their perfect career.

At Associated, a good fit is giving customers all the advice and financial services they need, in one place. For Koeppel, it means studying and working in the field of architecture. “My architecture courses prompted me to explore the city and think about the challenges I would face as an architect,” said Koeppel. “As I learned more about the field, and more about myself, architecture remained a natural fit.”

Koeppel first realized her dream of becoming an architect not too long ago. “I was logging in to my Associated Bank online account when a security question popped up – ‘What is your dream job?’” said Koeppel. “Without hesitation, I typed ‘architect.’ I don’t even recall how long ago I set that question, but at that moment I realized how clear-cut it was for me. Architect was the obvious answer, and always has been for me.”

Not only can she employ her love of art and collaborate in creating beautiful buildings, but also within this career is the opportunity to help many people. “Architecture starts at one of the basic human necessities – shelter,” said Koeppel. “Where it goes from there is limitless, and this is what makes it such a good fit for me. I’m able to incorporate my strong passion for architecture with my desire for helping others.”

The importance of collaboration in the field of architecture drove Koeppel to select Clemson University for her graduate studies. “As one of the top-ranked Masters of Architecture programs in the country, this program focuses on cross-discipline collaboration,” said Koeppel. “I will be developing my design skills within a greater context of skills that will allow me to study topics in depth and then be equipped to execute change.”

“I am incredibly fortunate to have known for so long what my passion is, and to now have the opportunity to pursue it,” said Koeppel. “I am in the home-stretch now as I head to Clemson University this fall and I look forward to pursuing my good fit and achieving my dream of becoming an architect.”

“It was my honor to award this scholarship to Beth for her dedication to finding her perfect fit,” said Rosenow. “We know what good fit means to us, and it’s great that she was able to find that in her university. Congratulations Beth, this scholarship truly is a good fit for you!”