A Legacy That Continues to Lift Others: The Stephanie and Bruce Fehringer STEM Scholarship
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If you ask Bruce Fehringer what defined his wife Stephanie, he won’t start with her accomplishments. He’ll start with who she showed up for.
“She was always about the students,” he shared. “Never about her.”
And there were many students.
Stephanie believed deeply in education, not just as a path forward, but as a way to unlock confidence, purpose, and possibility.
She lived that belief.
She earned multiple degrees. She volunteered in classrooms. She mentored young people, not just academically, but personally—helping them to grow into confident, capable individuals.
But it was through FIRST® Robotics that her impact took on new shape.
In 2011, with Bruce at her side, Stephanie helped start Denfeld’s FIRST® Robotics team in order to create a space where students who don’t always see themselves in traditional activities can belong.
Because robotics isn’t about fitting a mold. It is about ideas. And everyone has something to contribute.
FIRST® Robotics thrives on ideas, and everyone has ideas. Bruce Fehringer
More Than a Mentor
Stephanie didn’t just support students; she built systems that supported them long-term.
She helped establish Duluth Robotics to create sustainable funding for teams. She co-founded the Arrowhead Robotics Coalition to expand access to practice fields so teams could compete and grow.
She led with quiet determination—organizing, planning, and following through in ways that made lasting impact.
“She followed through. She set goals and she accomplished so much in her life,” shared Bruce.
And she did it all without seeking recognition.
A Scholarship Rooted in Stephanie’s Values
In 2025, Bruce partnered with Boreal Waters to establish the Stephanie and Bruce Fehringer Memorial STEM Scholarship Fund to carry forward what mattered most to Stephanie.
Not just STEM. Not just education. But opportunity.
The kind that changes the trajectory of a life.
The first scholarship will be awarded in spring 2026, marking the beginning of what Bruce hopes will be a lasting investment in students for years to come.
This scholarship is a way to carry Stephanie’s legacy forward by investing in the students and the potential she always saw in them. Bruce Fehringer
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This scholarship was created to reflect what Stephanie believed:
When students are given the chance to be heard, supported, and challenged—they rise to the occasion.
“This scholarship gives students a chance to positively change the trajectory of their lives,” shared Bruce.
The scholarship is renewable for two years; an intentional choice grounded in real experience. Bruce saw firsthand how students could piece together enough support for one year… but not enough to finish. And too often, that’s where dreams quietly end.
This fund is designed to change that. To make sure students don’t just start, but continue.
To remove barriers at the moments they matter most.
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Carrying Her Legacy Forward
When the first student receives this scholarship, Bruce hopes they understand something deeper than financial support.
He hopes they feel seen. He hopes they believe in themselves. And he hopes they carry forward the same spirit Stephanie lived every day:
To work hard.
To lift others.
To make a difference.
Because that’s what this scholarship is really about.
Not just honoring a life well lived, but continuing her impact—in classrooms, workshops, labs, and communities—for years to come.
The Stephanie and Bruce Fehringer Memorial STEM Scholarship Fund
- Eligibility: Graduates of Duluth-area high schools pursuing STEM-related degrees or technical training
- Award: $3,000 per year, renewable for two years ($6,000 total)
- Focus: Strong work ethic, character, and commitment to making a positive impact
Help carry Stephanie’s legacy forward. Make a gift to the Stephanie and Bruce Fehringer Memorial STEM Scholarship Fund and invest in the next generation of students.