With its fall competition season complete for this year, the ISU Rodeo Club is planning a series of events to raise money for club scholarships, as well as introducing themselves to the student body and surrounding communities.

The club already funds one $1,500 semester scholarship for an active member every year, said Jeff Waldstein, sophomore in agricultural studies. The requirement for the scholarship is a 2.5 GPA, as well as active involvement in club activities. The scholarship goes toward club and academic fees.

“We’re always trying to raise money to get more scholarships to attract more people,” he said.

However, he said, the club is intent on expanding that aid to encompass more members in the future.

“We’d like to be able to give a full ride like South Dakota State [University] and other teams that have better funding,” Waldstein said.

The club’s goal is to provide scholarships to one male and one female in addition to its existing scholarship.

Waldstein said members tend to pay about $500 a semester in rodeo fees alone, and the club hopes to curb the financial burden.

“The university only pays for a small part of our expenses,” said Rodeo Club President Tom Frink, junior in agricultural education. “Most of these kids pay their way through college academically too.”

To create this funding, the club is looking into company donations and student fund raisers.

In mid-February, the club will host a Cowboy Ball for the student body, which is a formal dinner, dance and club awards presentation.

During Veishea week, Frink said, the club is working toward organizing a three-day rodeo where the teams would participate in the parade. That same week, there are plans for a special- needs rodeo, where kids will get the chance to see what kind of work goes into a rodeo, he said.