Schulze Innovation Scholarship Awardees

Cohort 6

Smriti Datta

My name is Smriti Datta and I’m from Prior Lake, MN. At my core, I love to embrace creativity Since early childhood, I have always been a writer (my grandma likes to tease that she still has a copy of my attempt at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 3). When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, my life came to a standstill. As an extrovert, navigating the newfound loneliness was tough But I quickly realized that every adversity brings its own opportunity. I set aside countless hours to write, creating fictional friends to keep me company. With the support of my family, I was able to publish my novel. I fell in love with the process of providing joy to young readers more than writing the novel itself I engaged with my community, ensured profitability with the right pricing model, and marketed the novel through the district, social media, and local publications. I recently published my second novel and am grateful to have leveraged all of my previous experience! The Schulze Innovation Scholarship feels like the best Once Upon a Time I could’ve ever written for myself. I can’t wait to begin writing my Happily Ever After as a #Tommiepreneur!

Amelia Ehlers

Hi! My name is Amelia Ehlers, and ever since I was a little girl, I've been obsessed with wearing mismatched socks. I'm a senior this year at Rockford High School in Rockford, Minnesota, and mismatched socks are still my thing. Fun socks aside, I have always believed that there is room for everyone to belong, and mismatched socks are my simple way of stating that we don't all have to match to fit in. Throughout high school, I have played three sports each year and I am one of eight International Baccalaureate diploma candidates at RHS. During my junior year, I started an e-commerce business called The Odd Sock Shop, where I sell fun and colorful mismatched socks Owning this business has provided me with a way to earn money for school, have a flexible schedule, and I can respond to my customers anywhere and at any time. I am very excited to be a Schulze Innovation Scholar. I look forward to learning new things, contributing to the amazing community here at St Thomas, and taking advantage of every opportunity that comes my way.