New Blinn endowed scholarship honors Stanley and Ann Sommer

The scholarship will be earmarked for agriculture and music students

January 4, 2024

Washington County residents Stanley and Ann Sommer have been honored with an endowed Blinn College scholarship in their names.

A gift of $25,000 from the Sommer Family was made to the Blinn College Foundation to establish the Stanley and Ann Sommer Scholarship. It will be designated for students majoring in agriculture or music, although other majors will be considered.

Stanley Sommer attended Blinn from 1968-70 and received an Associate of Arts degree before transferring to Texas A&M University where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. He was a math and history teacher in the Brenham School District for 17 years and also worked on the family ranch, which included a cotton gin.

Ann Peterson Sommer, a Minnesota native, came to Washington County in 1979 to serve as music director at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Their son, Sam Sommer, has a unique perspective on the benefit of endowed scholarships, serving on the Blinn Foundation Board of Directors since 2014, including as its chairman from 2017-22.

“It’s been nice to be part of it for the last 10 years or so,” he said. “It gives me an excuse to come over here and see the students. Blinn is such an integral part of our community and it’s great to honor these two and their interest in music and agriculture.”

Stanley and Ann Sommer’s daughter, Maria Sommer Hartstein, completed dual credit courses at Blinn College before graduating from Texas A&M where she was an All-American swimmer.

Stanley Sommer said Blinn has long been an asset to the community. His grandfather, A.E. (Shine) Niebuhr, played on the football team and graduated from Blinn in 1925.

“It has smaller classes where you can get a good foundation,” he said. “It helps a lot of students.”

Ann Sommer, a longtime church organist and music teacher, said she is an admirer of Blinn’s Music Department.

“The music program has been excellent for a long time,” she said.

Nancy Berry, current chair of the Foundation board, said the Sommer family’s support of Blinn has been steadfast.

“Endowed scholarships are so important to a lot of students who need them to reach their career goals,” Berry said. “Honoring someone by establishing a scholarship is such a selfless act, and the Foundation truly appreciates the new Stanley and Ann Sommer Endowed Scholarship. Sam has been a leader in the Foundation for almost 10 years, and a lot of students have benefited from his efforts.”

The Blinn Foundation is a tax-exempt organization that provides financial support for programs and activities that enhance the quality of education for Blinn students and expand educational opportunities. It also looks to heighten community awareness of the mission and accomplishments of the college and to promote excellence in education.

Endowed scholarships are available to incoming and returning students from a wide range of backgrounds, majors, and experiences. Students are considered based on high academic achievement, participation in student activities, and community involvement.

Current high school and college students can apply for Blinn scholarships by completing an application at www.blinn.edu/scholarships. Prior to applying for scholarships, students must complete an application for admission to Blinn College at www.applytexas.org.