The Rose Kapingen Foundation
The Rose Kapingen Foundation provides funds for the higher education of women who reside in the community of Anchorage. Any woman who is a resident of the Municipality of Anchorage and is a U.S. citizen is eligible to apply. Preference will be given to applicants who are experienced in a business or profession, have demonstrated the ability to succeed in their chosen field of work, and are desirous of further education to advance their career.
Applicants must present a plan of study which will result in a degree or advance her skills and knowledge in her career. The educational plan may be for college, university or trade school.
Rose Kapingen was a charter member of Soroptimist International of Anchorage in 1945 and our club’s second president. Rose first owned a music store and later a flower and candy shop on the corner of 4th and H where the Anchorage Times operated for many years.
Rose and her husband Nikki had a deep respect for each other’s interests. Because Nikki knew how much Rose valued the club’s work of advancing the status of women and girls, he gave SI Anchorage a bequest of $25,000 to establish a lasting memorial in her name when she died in 1969. When he died in 1976, he left the remainder of his estate to The Rose Kapingen Foundation which had just become a reality.
To date, the Rose Kapingen Foundation has awarded over $150,000 to Anchorage women for postgraduate education. The foundation also partially funds the SI/ Anchorage’s Live Your Dream Award.
The Rose Kapingen Foundation is able to continue to fund educational awards for women in Anchorage because Nikki Kapingen had a dream for his departed wife and our Soroptimist club was able to help him fulfill that dream. Today, Nikki’s dream is helping fulfill the dreams of our awardees.
