2025 Awardees
Scholarships are awarded annually at the Pak Family Banquet in March.
2025 Spring Academic Awardee
Skyler Smart
My name is Skyler Smart and I am from Louisville, Nebraska. I grew up doing martial arts
throughout most of grade school but took a short break during high school. Coming to college, I
knew I wanted to find a way to get involved in martial arts again, so I joined Taekwondo in the
fall of my freshman year. I am currently a brown belt and actively attend practices. I am also a
member of our competition team, competing in both poomsae and sparring. In addition, I
currently serve as the Martial Arts Club’s Taekwondo vice president.
I am pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Genetics with a minor in Spanish from Iowa State
University. I will graduate in May 2027 and plan to continue my education, either pursuing a
Master's degree, a PhD, or attending medical school. I hope to perform research to further our
knowledge of human genetic diseases.
2025 Spring Leadership Awardee
Ryan Holt
Hello, my name is Ryan Holt and I am a graduate student studying Artificial Intelligence. I am originally from Oswego, Illinois which is where my martial arts journey began. My first club was Atlas Xtreme Team, which was initially a judo focused club but transitioned into a more mixed martial arts based club with the inclusion of jiu-jitsu, sambo, and wrestling. After training there for a couple of years I started to focus more on other sports in high school and did not return to martial arts until I had graduated from Drake University with a degree in actuarial science and data analytics. Upon returning to judo I rekindled my love for martial arts and have brought that passion with me to Iowa State where I am now in my third year in my program. Upon graduation I am still undecided on whether or not I want to continue in academia or pursue a career in the private sector. Regardless of the choice I make, I will continue to train hard, meet and train with new and interesting people, and continue to not only improve my judo skills, but foster new generations of judoka.
2025 Spring Ringstad Awardee
Sarah Puhl
My name is Sarah Puhl, and I am a 17-year-old high school senior. I grew up in Des
Moines, Iowa and started my Taekwondo journey 14 years ago at Farrells Martial Arts
as a Little Dragon. I was quickly captivated by the Martial Art and competed at my first
tournament when I was four. It was there that I first met Grandmaster Pak. By the age of
eight, I knew I wanted to open my own Taekwondo school. Since that moment, I have
trained and studied to improve myself not only as a Taekwondo Practitioner but also as
an instructor and referee.
At eight I started weapons training and eventually I joined a demo team where I
focused on mastering my kamas and tumbling. As soon as I was old enough, I joined
the leadership team where I assisted with classes and trained to become an instructor.
At 14 I began teaching the same class where I started my Taekwondo journey: the Little
Dragons. In addition, I competed in many local, regional, and national tournaments as
well as a couple of international events. Eventually I shifted my focus from competing to
refereeing and I am currently a C level referee in both Poomsae and Kyorugi with
USATKD.
As I got closer to graduating high school, I found myself becoming exceedingly
interested in business and how to effectively manage a Taekwondo school. I frequently
analyze situations I observe at my Taekwondo school and work to come up with a
variety of methods to address them. After I graduate, I will be studying for my degree in
business so that I will be prepared to open my own Taekwondo school and carry on the
Pak family name.
2024 Awardees
Scholarships are awarded annually at the Pak Family Banquet in March.
2024 Spring Academic Awardee
Eagan Kirk
My name is Eagan Kirk, and I have lived in Lee’s Summit, Missouri most of my life. I did
Taekwondo at Pruter’s Taekwondo for 13 years before coming to Iowa State to study Chemical
Engineering. I started my education at Iowa State in August 2022, so this fall will be my fifth
semester. After graduation, I intend to work in some type of process plant as a production
engineer or for a younger company in the renewable energy industry. One of my favorite
aspects of Iowa State is the Martial Arts Cub, as it has allowed me to meet many outstanding
people and continue studying the art that I love.
2024 Spring Leadership Awardee
Jazmine Edwards
I began my journey at Lindemann's Family Martial Arts in Spencer, IA, immersing myself in forms, weapons, and sparring while actively contributing to community events and assisting with Tiny Tiger classes. While studying abroad at Swansea University in Wales, I continued exploring new styles of Taekwondo while implementing new social events within the Swansea martial arts community. Now, at Iowa State University's Martial Arts Club, I continue to serve as the Cabinet Social Chair, orchestrating engaging events for fellow members while enthusiastically participating in classes.
When I’m not kicking paddles in the Dojang, I can be found embracing the great outdoors regardless of the weather. Camping, hiking, snowshoeing, and capturing the beauty of clouds through photography are among my favorite pastimes.
Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Event Management from Iowa State University, I'm on track to graduate in Fall of 2024. Beyond graduation, I plan on relocating abroad to further my education with a master’s degree from a European Institution. Regardless of my location, martial arts will undoubtedly remain a cornerstone of my journey.
2024 Spring Ringstad Awardee
Still open!
Our Ringstad Scholarship is still open for applications!
Past Awardees
2023 Spring Academic Awardee
Nailah Smith
My name is Nailah Smith. I am currently a senior, and my estimated graduation date is December 2023. I am from St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands and I aspire to become a veterinarian in the small mammal and equine species, with my major being Animal Science (General Pre-vet). I would like to specifically focus on the dentistry or ophthalmology aspect in both species. With my medical knowledge, I plan to contribute to making animals’ lives a whole lot better by planning to work in animal hospitals and doing as much as I can to further the research on animal pathology and diseases. Continuously being on my feet to make a difference in the lives of animals is a source of joy for me. So, to gain more experience, I contribute to as many hands-on opportunities I can. I am currently a 4th grade blue belt and have been practicing taekwondo at ISU for about a year and a half. Practicing taekwondo has been a great source of a stress relief for me while studying for my veterinary degree, and I plan to practice for as long as I can.
2023 Spring Leadership Awardee
Eagan Kirk
My name is Eagan Kirk, and I have lived in Lee’s Summit, Missouri most of my life. I did Taekwondo at Pruter’s Taekwondo for 13 years before coming to Iowa State to study Chemical Engineering. I started my education at Iowa State in August 2022, so this fall will be my third semester. While I am thinking about graduate school, my current plan is to graduate with a bachelor's in chemical engineering and start working in the industry. At this point in my education, bio-polymers are very interesting to me, but I don’t know where I will end up. One of my favorite things about Iowa State is the Martial Arts Cub, as it has allowed me to meet many fantastic people and continue studying the art that I love.