The John M. Morrison Scholarship Program for Albert Lea students is open for applications. This scholarship was established by Susan Morrison to honor her husband John and to assist students graduating from Albert Lea High School. Each year a scholarship is awarded in honor of John M. Morrison, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and owner of Central Bank Group Inc. Morrison is a graduate of Albert Lea High School and the University of Minnesota.

Any graduating senior who plans to enroll full-time at an accredited four-year college or university is eligible to apply for the $1,500 renewable scholarship. Financial need is not considered in the selection process. Applications are available at Albert Lea High School. The deadline for applications is Feb. 20. The award recipient will be announced in May.

Over the years, Morrison has been responsible for the purchase and sales of scores of banks in Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Montana and Arizona. He has also purchased several successful and/or troubled manufacturing companies in various industries in the U.S. and Canada.

Morrison is the former Chairman and CEO and presently a Director of Allina hospitals and clinics, with more than 23,000 employees in Minnesota. He is a former Trustee and Vice Chairman of Fairview-University Medical Center, a former Director of Fairview-University Hospital Corporation, a former Trustee of Johns Hopkins Medicine Board of Visitors, a Trustee and former Chairman of the Executive Committee of the University of St. Thomas, founder of -the University of St. Thomas John M. Morrison Center for Entrepreneurship, and founding member of St. Thomas Law School. He is also a member of World President’s Organization and Chief Executive Organization, both worldwide organizations of corporate CEO’s. In 1999, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from University of St. Thomas.

Morrison often credits his teachers at Albert Lea High School with his success. This scholarship was established in his honor to give other Albert Lea students an opportunity to pursue post-secondary education by encouraging them with financial assistance.

The scholarship program is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a division of Scholarship America. Scholarship Management Services is the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals. For further information, contact the guidance office of Albert Lea High School.