Amelia and Emanuel Nessell Family Scholarship

The Amelia and Emanuel Nessell Family Scholarship Fund helps students in financial need, with priority consideration to Jewish applicants. Jewish applicants receive priority, based on the wishes of the scholarship founders. In 1997, relatives of Amelia and Emanuel Nessell created the scholarship as a memorial to the couple. The Nessells moved to Duluth in 1920, and Emanuel served as a manager for the First Street Department Store. Their four children, Sophie, Leonard, Louisa and Harry, attended Duluth public schools and graduated from Central High School. The family established the scholarship because the Nessells valued higher education and helping students in financial need.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must be graduates of Duluth public or private schools to including Duluth Denfeld, Duluth East, Area Learning Center, Harbor City International, Marshall School, and Lake View Academy—who demonstrate financial need (as indicated by FAFSA), maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher to reflect strong academic habits, and actively participate in extracurricular activities, with priority given to Jewish graduates.

Award Range

$1,250 to $1,500 for two years (Total $2,500 to $3,000)

Grant Cycle

Universal Application

Notification of Awards

Scholarship recipients will be notified by email no later than May 1, 2026

Scholarship Payments Sent to Schools

Fall semester: by July 30, 2026

Spring semester: by December 30, 2026

Award Details

This scholarship may be used for expenses of post-secondary education at any accredited college, university or technical/ vocational school

Award Payments will be mailed directly to the school/ university. Fall Payments are mailed July 15-30

Spring Payments are mailed December 15-30

Transferring Schools: Please contact DSACF if you plan on transferring schools. Transferring schools does not automatically transfer your scholarship. If a transfer occurs after scholarship money has been disbursed it may take up to 90 days to reprocess the scholarship payment.

Tax information

DSACF encourages scholarship recipients to seek tax advice regarding scholarships. According to the IRS: Scholarships, fellowship grants, and other grants are tax-free if you meet the following conditions:

• You’re a candidate for a degree at an educational institution that maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where it carries on its educational activities; and
• The amounts you receive are used to pay for tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at the educational institution, or for fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses at the educational institution.