Select Page

The Schmidt Don’t Quit Kinesiology Scholarship Ride pedals off for its fourth year on Monday, Aug. 8. Two recipients of the scholarship will bike the home stretch with Dan Schmidt, professor and co-chair of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s kinesiology department, on Thursday, Aug. 11 to show their appreciation.

Tricia Cich, a senior from Rice Lake, and Quinn Steckbauer, a senior from Merrill, are the fall 2022 recipients of the Schmidt Don’t Quit Kinesiology Scholarship. The ride has raised nearly $10,000 in the first three years, with Cich and Steckbauer awarded $500 each for the fall semester.

Both were selected based on their academic achievement, desire to pursue a career in the field of kinesiology and the impact they hope to have within the field.

“To be chosen as one of the scholarship recipients means a lot to me,” said Cich, who also is a member of the Titan women’s track and field team. “I believe it shows how much people care about our education and hope to see us succeed in our educational endeavors and beyond.”

Scholarship are important and crucial for many students to succeed, including Steckbauer.

“A lot of us have to work all summer as well as during the school year to pay for tuition,” said Steckbauer, a guard on the men’s basketball team. “Any scholarship goes a long way towards paying for school.”

Tricia Cich and Quinn Steckbauer.

The appreciation extends far beyond the scholarship for Cich and Steckbauer.

“The kinesiology department and faculty mean tons to me,” Cich said. “They have created an excellent curriculum that is extremely engaging and interesting. I also greatly appreciate every faculty member because they are what have made this program what it is today.”

Steckbauer agrees.

“The kinesiology department means a lot because of the relationships that I’ve built. They take the time to get to know all their students, and they work hard to help us succeed,” Steckbauer said.

They both look forward to biking with Schmidt and a few other students on the final day of the ride. They’ll meet Schmidt at Bare Bones Brewery and ride the Wiowash trail back to the UW Oshkosh campus.

“I am looking forward to enjoying a bike ride on hopefully a nice day with a great professor and some other great people in the kinesiology program,” Cich said. “Riding on the final day with Dr. Schmidt is a way to say thank you for the scholarship and to show support for the continuation of kinesiology scholarships for current and future students.”

“Dr. Schmidt has been a great leader of our program and this ride is another example of that,” Steckbauer said. “I am very grateful for what he’s doing and want to show that by participating.”

Donate to the Schmidt Don’t Quit Kinesiology Scholarship Ride here.