Riverland Community College will host its eighth annual Bikers of Student Success ride Saturday, in an effort to raise funds for the college’s foundation, which provides scholarships to students in need.

Registration for the event begins at 9:30 a.m. at the east building parking lot at the college’s Austin campus. The ride begins at 10 a.m. and should conclude at Torge’s Live in Austin by 4 or 4:30 p.m., said organizer Ronald Wangen.

A minimum donation is $25 per motorcycle.

Riders will travel a new route this year, Wangen said, which covers 227 miles. They will stop and have dinner along the Mississippi River and will have two other stops in between.

“They’ll have a really good day if they come and spend it with us,” he said. “We help a lot of people, and it’s just a good feeling.”

Participants can register ahead of time by going to www.riverland.edu/Foundation/BossRide or by calling the foundation office at (507)433-0630.

All proceeds go directly to the Riverland Community College Foundation Bikers of Student Success scholarship fund. Students in Albert Lea, Austin and Owatonna benefit each year from the fundraiser.

Wangen said each year the college generally gives a scholarship to one student at each location. About $15,000 has been given away in the last eight years.

This year, because organizers decided they wanted to keep the scholarship going forever, they have developed the Boss Ride Endowed Scholarship.

An endowed scholarship means the money in the fund is invested, and the income from the interest is distributed in the form of scholarships to students in perpetuity.

A foundation scholarship fund must have at least $10,000 to become endowed.

The Riverland Community College Foundation raised $11,000 from activities earlier in the year, so it was able to officially create the endowed scholarship.

Eventually, foundation organizers hope it will expand into something even larger.