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LSC Foundation, Giant Voices, Duluth Pack in the news

“Thanks to the thoughtfulness of our industry and community partners, these scholarships make LSC’s already affordable, high-quality education even more accessible.” -- David Kline, Lake Superior College Vice President of Advancement and External Relations.

The Lake Superior College Foundation will hold a Scholarship Breakfast Reception on Thursday to recognize LSC students who received a foundation scholarship this spring semester. The event begins at 8 a.m. at Hawks Landing on the main campus.

The Lake Superior College Foundation awards tens of thousands of dollars each semester to students. This primary function of the LSCF includes matching donors to scholarship options, investing endowed gifts prudently, and administering scholarship agreements so that qualified are awarded scholarships.

Nearly 100 students received 132 scholarships from 18 funds this semester totaling over $125,000. Students and college leaders will speak at the reception on Thursday with breakfast available to attendees.

“Thanks to the thoughtfulness of our industry and community partners, these scholarships make LSC’s already affordable, high-quality education even more accessible,” said David Kline, Lake Superior College’s Vice President of Advancement and External Relations. “LSC offers some of the lowest tuition rates in Minnesota, but we recognize that financial barriers still exist for many students. With these scholarships, we’re helping remove those barriers so students can pursue their education and gain the skills needed to meet our region’s workforce demands.”

The majority of scholarships through the LSC Foundation are typically offered in the spring for the fall semester. However, some program-specific scholarships are offered only for the spring semester. More scholarships will be offered later this spring, for the 2025 Fall Semester.

The mission of the Lake Superior College Foundation is to support Lake Superior College by cultivating community relationships and philanthropic support that will advance educational opportunities for students, staff, and the community.

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Full-service, Duluth-based marketing firm Giant Voices, LLC is now Giant. The rebrand marks a strategic shift spurred by an ownership transition, positioning Lisa Bodine and Jena Mertz as co-owners of the firm.

“Guiding the ambitious through the complex—a straightforward and strong promise, consistent with our approach,” said Bodine, owner and chief growth officer. “The trajectory of our client partnerships has become increasingly strategic and complex. We work with teams across North America who rely on Giant to help invent, align, build and optimize solutions to drive sales and marketing performance, deploy multi-faceted go-to-market plans and cultivate next-generation leaders.” 

Through its transformation over the past decade, Giant has earned a reputation for creating bulletproof integrated marketing strategies and strong national brands. It guides clients through complex communication challenges in highly competitive industries related to technology, manufacturing, raw materials, and professional services. 

Today, the firm stands as a collective of change-makers — strategists and analysts, artists and designers, writers and storytellers — all embody a growth mindset. The company employs 25 brilliant leaders in their craft and leans on nearly a dozen functional experts as contractors each day to support the growing list of Giant clients. 

“At the end of the day, we’re a difference-making firm,” said Mertz, owner and chief strategy officer. “We’ve embraced a culture that encourages our team to deliver clear communication, move with purpose and stay curious. The Giants are encouraged to explore passion projects, volunteer and create a positive impact in our community and beyond.”

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Duluth Pack has been purchased by Kevin Hall and another business partner. Duluth Pack, based in Duluth for over 140 years, is a manufacturer and retailer of quality backpacks, bags and more.

“We're making Duluth Pack something for everybody and we really, again, are excited about that and see a wonderful future here forward," Hall said in a Duluth Pack video announcing the sale.

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