Lingle Student Exemplifies What it Means to Be A Daniels Fund Scholar
EDITORIAL: Daniels Charts a Course for Tomorrow’s Leaders
Daniels Fund Awards $250,000 to Top Teams at Inaugural National Ethics Case Competition
Notre Dame, University of Colorado Boulder and US Air Force Academy Were Top Finishers in Prestigious Competition
Teams from three universities took home a total of $250,000 as winners of the inaugural Daniels Fund National Ethics Case Competition.
The winning teams were:
First Place — University of Notre Dame ($120,000)
Second Place — University of Colorado Boulder ($80,000)
Third Place — United States Air Force Academy ($50,000)
1st Place winning Notre Dame team with Daniels Fund President & CEO Hanna Skandera (left).
The competition immerses students in a challenging business ethics case – focused on a company’s development of a cutting-edge artificial intelligence system – that mirrors real-world scenarios and equips them with practical tools for ethical decision making. The goal of the competition is to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world application.
Student teams were evaluated on their ability to apply the Daniels Fund Ethics Principles – integrity, trust, accountability, transparency, fairness, respect, rule of law and viability – while proposing practical and free-market solutions to complex business cases before a panel of executives.
2nd Place University of Colorado Boulder team with Daniels Fund President & CEO Hanna Skandera (left), and head judges Scott Darnell (second from left) and Kristi Burton Brown (right).
“These students demonstrated exactly what Bill Daniels, one of America’s legendary entrepreneurs, believed – that the most successful leaders are those who understand that ethical conduct and business success go hand in hand,” said Hanna Skandera, President and CEO of the Daniels Fund. “Their commitment to ethical decision-making was impressive and proved that a deep understanding of business ethics is a winning free-market strategy.”
The national competition consisted of three rounds that asked students to tackle scenarios that mirror the complexities and moral dilemmas faced in business. The first round consisted of essays and the 20 teams with the highest scoring essays were invited to Denver for live presentations. The top five teams in the semi-final round competed in the finals.
3rd Place United States Air Force Academy team with Daniels Fund President & CEO Hanna Skandera (left), and head judges Scott Darnell (second from left) and Kristi Burton Brown (right).
The 20 teams in the Denver competition represented:
- Arizona State University
- Auburn University
- Brigham Young University
- Clemson University
- New Mexico State University
- Texas A&M University
- U.S. Air Force Academy (2 teams)
- University of Colorado Boulder (4 teams)
- University of Colorado Denver
- University of Denver
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Utah (3 teams)
- University of Wyoming
- Western New Mexico University
“It was an honor to welcome talented teams from across the country to Denver to compete in this prestigious national competition,” Skandera said. “Our congratulations to the three top finishers. They have set the bar for every future competing team and represent the best of what the future of business can be.”
About the Daniels Fund
The Established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, the Daniels Fund is a private charitable foundation dedicated to positively impacting American life, with particularly focus on Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. In addition to its Ethics Initiative, the Fund invests in nonprofits through its grants program and recently awarded 230 full-ride college scholarships to highly motivated students through the Daniels Fund Scholarship program. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.
Fourth Sister in Colorado Family Receives Daniels Scholarship
Daniels Fund Awards 230 Students Four-Year Daniels Scholarships
Highly Selective Program Awards Up to a Full Ride for College
The Daniels Fund today announced its 2025 class of Daniels Scholarship Program recipients. The Fund selected 230 high school seniors from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming – including 156 students from Colorado.
As part of the Daniels Fund’s 25th Anniversary celebration, 25 additional young men and women received a Daniels Scholarship this year. Over its 25-year history, the Fund has awarded more than $275 million in scholarships to over 5,400 students.
The Daniels Scholarship is one of the most selective and sought-after scholarships in the United States.
“It’s an honor to award 230 four-year college scholarships to young men and women who are excellent students and who demonstrated their ambition to lead successful lives of character and service,” said Hanna Skandera, Daniels Fund President & CEO. “All of us who had the pleasure of interviewing these new Daniels Scholars were inspired by this rising generation of Americans.”
As part of the interview process, 180 top business and community leaders from the Daniels Fund’s four-state region interviewed prospective scholars.
Students are selected for their strength of character, leadership potential, commitment to serving the community, academic potential and financial need. As the living legacy of Daniels Fund founder Bill Daniels, Daniels Scholars embody the values he most cherished.
Daniels Scholars may use their scholarship at any accredited nonprofit college or university in the United States. They have their full cost of attendance covered at partner schools and up to $100,000 over four years if they choose to attend another school.
At any given time, around 900 Daniels Scholars are attending approximately 200 colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Motivated high school seniors graduating in 2026 are encouraged to visit DanielsFund.org this September to apply online for the Daniels Scholarship Program.
About the Daniels Scholarship Program
The Daniels Scholarship Program provides a four-year college scholarship for graduating high school seniors with great potential, strong character, and big dreams. Daniels Scholars receive full cost of attendance at partner schools, or up to $100,000 at other schools across the United States. More than just a financial resource making college possible, the Daniels Scholarship gives recipients access to intensive development, coaching, and engagement opportunities to prepare them as highly sought-after employees and leaders ready to give back to their communities and positively influence American life. Through the scholarship, Daniels scholars receive the tools and support to achieve their highest goals, resulting in generationally transformative impacts for their families and communities.
About the Daniels Fund
The Established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, the Daniels Fund is a private charitable foundation dedicated to improving American life, with particular focus on Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. In addition to the Daniels Scholarship program, the Fund invests in nonprofits through its grants program and sponsors an ethics initiative. It is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2025. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.
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Daniels Fund Enters 25th Year Surpassing $113 million in Grants and Scholarships in Wyoming
The Daniels Fund, a private charitable foundation benefitting Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah – now entering its 25th year – today announced that it has awarded more than $113 million throughout its history in grants to Wyoming nonprofit partners and higher education scholarships to students across the state. In 2024 alone, the Daniels Fund distributed more than $6.2 million in grants and scholarships in Wyoming.
“For 25 years, the Daniels Fund has been positively impacting American life – and improving millions of lives – one life at a time,” said Hanna Skandera, Daniels Fund President and CEO. “Whether it’s helping a child with developmental challenges, supporting people struggling with homelessness and addiction to seek independent, healthy lives, or making the dream of higher education come true for young people, it is an honor to steward the mission Bill Daniels gave the Daniels Fund a quarter century ago.”
On January 29, the Daniels Fund honored the Child Development Center of Natrona County (CDC) as one of its top-performing grantees with its prestigious Medal of Excellence Award and a $250,000 prize to support its mission. The CDC provides early childhood education to children with and without developmental disabilities, helping them reach their full potential through early intervention and compassionate care.
Over the past 25 years, the Daniels Fund has given more than $1.2 billion in grants to nearly 6,000 nonprofit partners and scholarships to more than 5,200 students across its four-state region.
Bill Daniels launched his first cable television business in Casper in 1954 and established the Daniels Fund to give back to people in the communities that contributed to his success.
The Fund focuses the majority of its giving in Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah – four states pivotal in Bill Daniels’ life. The Fund also invests in select notable national projects that align with Bill Daniels’ values.
The Daniels Fund grants program focuses on eight funding areas originally designated by Bill Daniels at the Fund’s founding:
- Aging
- Amateur Sports
- Disabilities
- Drug & Alcohol Addiction
- Early Childhood Education
- Homeless and Disadvantaged
- K-12 Education Reform
- Youth Development
Among the Daniels Fund’s grants are several major signature programs, including the National Civics Bee, which emphasizes the importance of teaching young Americans about the basics of their government so that they become active and informed citizens. Students across Wyoming – and the country – have just completed essays for entry into the 2025 National Civics Bee. Each state winner earns the chance to compete in the national finals for a $100,000 prize.
Building on over 15 years of ethics education funding, the Daniels Fund is launching a national business ethics case competition in 2025 with participating teams from universities across the country.
High-school graduates from the Daniels Fund’s four state region apply for the highly selective Daniels Scholarship Program, which makes college possible for motivated, ambitious students. In addition, the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship program provides funding for non-traditional students to obtain credentials that lead to upward mobility and meaningful employment.
Daniels Fund Enters 25th Year Surpassing $63 million in Grants and Scholarships in Utah
The Daniels Fund, a private charitable foundation benefitting Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming – now entering its 25th year – today announced that it has awarded more than $63 million throughout its history in grants to Utah nonprofit partners and higher education scholarships to students across the state. In 2024 alone, the Daniels Fund distributed $5 million in grants and scholarships in Utah.
“For 25 years, the Daniels Fund has been positively impacting American life – and improving millions of lives – one life at a time,” said Hanna Skandera, Daniels Fund President and CEO. “Whether it’s helping a child with developmental challenges, supporting people struggling with homelessness and addiction to seek independent, healthy lives, or making the dream of higher education come true for young people, it is an honor to steward the mission Bill Daniels gave the Daniels Fund a quarter century ago.”
Over the past 25 years, the Daniels Fund has given more than $1.2 billion in grants to nearly 6,000 nonprofit partners and scholarships to more than 5,200 students across its four-state region.
Bill Daniels was owner of the American Basketball Association Utah Stars team and established the Daniels Fund to give back to the communities that meant so much to him.
The Fund focuses the majority of its giving in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming – four states pivotal in Bill Daniels’ life. The Fund also invests in select, notable national projects that align with Bill Daniels’ values.
The Daniels Fund grants program focuses on eight funding areas originally designated by Bill Daniels at the Fund’s founding:
- Aging
- Amateur Sports
- Disabilities
- Drug & Alcohol Addiction
- Early Childhood Education
- Homeless and Disadvantaged
- K-12 Education Reform
- Youth Development
Among the Daniels Fund’s grants are several major signature programs, including the National Civics Bee, which emphasizes the importance of teaching young Americans about the basics of their government so that they become active and informed citizens. Students across Utah – and the country – have just completed essays for entry into the 2025 National Civics Bee. Each state winner earns the chance to compete in the national finals for a $100,000 prize.
Building on over 15 years of ethics education funding, the Daniels Fund is launching a national business ethics case competition in 2025 with participating teams from universities across the country.
High-school graduates from the Daniels Fund’s four state region apply for the highly selective Daniels Scholarship Program, which makes college possible for motivated, ambitious students. In addition, the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship program provides funding for non-traditional students to obtain credentials that lead to upward mobility and meaningful employment.
Daniels Fund Enters 25th Year Surpassing $1.2 Billion in Grants and Scholarships
The Daniels Fund, a Colorado-based private charitable foundation – now entering its 25th year – today announced that it has awarded more than $1.2 billion throughout its history in grants to nearly 6,000 nonprofit partners and higher education scholarships to more than 5,200 students.
“For 25 years, the Daniels Fund has been positively impacting American life – and improving millions of lives – one life at a time,” said Hanna Skandera, Daniels Fund President and CEO. “Whether it’s helping a child with developmental challenges, supporting people struggling with homelessness and addiction to seek independent, healthy lives, or making the dream of higher education come true for young people, it is an honor to steward the mission Bill Daniels gave the Daniels Fund a quarter century ago.”
In 2024 alone, the Daniels Fund gave a total of $70 million in grants and scholarships, including $48 million in Colorado.
The Fund focuses the majority of its giving in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming – four states pivotal in Bill Daniels’ life. The Fund also invests in select notable national projects that align with Bill Daniels’ values.
The Daniels Fund grants program focuses on eight funding areas originally designated by Bill Daniels at the Fund’s founding:
- Aging
- Amateur Sports
- Disabilities
- Drug & Alcohol Addiction
- Early Childhood Education
- Homeless and Disadvantaged
- K-12 Education Reform
- Youth Development
Among the Daniels Fund’s grants are several major signature programs, including the National Civics Bee, which emphasizes the importance of teaching young Americans about the basics of their government so that they become active and informed citizens. Students across Colorado – and the country – have just completed writing essays for entry into the 2025 National Civics Bee. Each state winner earns the chance to compete in the national finals for a $100,000 prize.
Building on over 15 years of ethics education funding, the Daniels Fund is launching a national business ethics case competition in 2025 with participating teams from universities across the country.
High-school graduates from the Daniels Fund’s four state region apply for the highly selective Daniels Scholarship Program, which makes college possible for motivated, ambitious students. In addition, the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship program provides funding for non-traditional students to obtain credentials that lead to upward mobility and meaningful employment.