Inland Development Corporation awards Arbogast scholarships

Published 5:00 pm Tuesday, June 27, 2023

BOARDMAN — Inland Development Corporation recently announced it will disburse more than $25,000 in scholarships to 21 area students through its Nate Arbogast Memorial Scholarship program.

“As a nonprofit that works to improve internet access to schools in rural Eastern Oregon, we also believe in giving back to all the communities we serve,” Board President Jill Parker said in a press release. “Youths in these communities have promising futures. Inland is honored to help them realize their educational dreams.”

While the corporation didn’t provide the names of all recipients, Parker said the winners represent recent graduates from high schools in Boardman, Heppner, Ione and Irrigon. The scholarship awards ranged from $1,000 to $1,700.

The scholarship program was launched in 2010 when Nate Arbogast, Inland Development’s founding general manager, died after a skiing accident. Since its inception, nearly $700,000 has been awarded to almost 300 students in Eastern Oregon.

“I know Nate Arbogast was an influential member of our community and was key to bringing important technology to our school in Heppner,” Paul Lindsay said. “I think it is amazing how Nate’s legacy is continued in this scholarship, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am to receive it.”

A 2023 Heppner High School graduate, Lindsay plans to study nursing at Eastern Oregon University.

A nonprofit organization based in Boardman, Inland Development Corporation focuses on providing fiber optic broadband services to educational, health care and government entities in rural communities across Eastern Oregon. For more information, visit www.inlanddc.