Paul Bunyan Communications Encourages Local Students to Apply for Minnesota Telecom Alliance Scholar

(Bemidji, MN) (January 5, 2026) Paul Bunyan Communications has announced the start of its annual search for Minnesota Telecom Alliance Scholarship candidates.
The cooperative is participating in the Minnesota Telecom Alliance (MTA) Foundation Scholarship Program and encouraging local students to apply for this year’s awards.
In 2026, the MTA Foundation will award six scholarships to graduating Minnesota high school seniors including:
• One $2,000 Jon Tollefson Technology Scholarship
Applicants must be high school seniors who are Minnesota residents and plan to major in Telecommunications or
Information Technology (IT) at a university, college, or technical college.
• Five $2,000 General Scholarships
Applicants must be Minnesota residents and high school seniors planning to attend post-secondary education at a university, college, or technical college. In addition, their family must subscribe to at least one service from an MTA member company.

Students and families can learn more about the scholarships by visiting: https://www.mnta.org/page/Scholarship

Past winners of MTA scholarships through Paul Bunyan Communications include:
2025- Gunther Erbstoesser of Hines and Juel Luettinger of Bemidji
2022- Dylan Haynes of Grand Rapids
2014- Kathryn Gray of Bemidji
2012- Elisa Muller of Bemidji
2009- Kadie Kern of Bemidji
Completed applications must be turned in to the Paul Bunyan Communications office in Bemidji or Grand Rapids no later than February 13, 2026.
The MTA Foundation is part of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance, a trade association that represents 44
telecommunications providers across the state, of which Paul Bunyan Communications is a member.
About Paul Bunyan Communications
Paul Bunyan Communications has the region’s largest and fastest all-fiber optic network with over 6,000 square miles throughout most of
Beltrami County and portions of Aitkin, Cass, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, and St. Louis Counties. The Cooperative provides fiber
optic fast Internet speeds up to 10 Gig powered by the GigaZone, television services, digital voice services, Residential and Business IT
services, and is also the home of northern Minnesota’s certified Apple Service Center.