The Green Bandana Project Kluesner Scholarship
Scholarship Overview
Al and Mary Kluesner were two of the founders of SAVE, Suicide Awareness, Voices of Education. In 1985, Al and Mary Kluesner’s daughter, Amy, died by suicide. A couple of years later, they lost their son, Michael, also to suicide. It was the kind of loss that could have silenced a family. But in the depths of that heartbreak, Al and Mary Kluesner, turned their grief into action, founding SAVE, with the hope that no other family would have to experience what theirs had. In darkness, they were still able to find purpose.
Similarly, our program, The Green Bandana Project was created by Dr. Betsy Gerbec at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2014, after losing her son, Daniel, to suicide. In 2022, SAVE acquired the program and continues to meet the needs of today’s students. The Green Bandana Project (TGBP) is a school-based program for high school and college students that increases students’ awareness of available mental health and suicide prevention resources and their ability to seek support before or during a mental health crisis. Student members take a suicide prevention gatekeeper training, carry resource cards, and tie a green bandana to their backpack or another visible location to serve as a visual cue that they are members of the Green Bandana Project and are equipped with knowledge about resources on campus that support student mental health.
The Green Bandana Project Kluesner scholarship honors Al and Mary Kluesner and the Kluesner Family, and provides opportunities for the recipients to carry on their legacy through The Green Bandana Project. We will be awarding 4 individual one-time scholarships of $2,500 to high school seniors or current undergraduate/graduate students who have experienced the devastating loss of a parent, caregiver, or sibling to suicide. Scholarship recipients will serve as Student Member Leads supporting with promotion and recruitment, and working with other Student Member Leads to plan and facilitate meetings and events on campus, and serve on the SAVE Student Advisory Committee.
Scholarship Timeline
- Application window: Apr 11, 2026 – Jun 1, 2026 11:59pm CST
- Award announced: July 1st, 2026
- Scholarship funds distributed: August 3rd, 2026
Award Overview
- One-time scholarship of $2,500 for 2026-2027 academic year
- Check will be paid directly to the school
- Recipients will implement The Green Bandana Project chapter into their school and serve as a Student Member Lead
- Recipients will serve a 1-year term on SAVE’s Student Advisory Committee
Eligibility requirements
- Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
- The student must have lost a parent, caregiver, or sibling to suicide.
- Be a graduating high school senior, a current undergraduate or graduate student maintaining full-time enrollment and already accepted and enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university, including vocational, trade, technical and 2 year colleges
- There is no GPA requirement
- Demonstrate understanding of and commitment to SAVE’s mission through The Green Bandana Project by way of demonstrated advocacy, lived experience, or meaningful engagement in mental health awareness efforts.
- Adhere to all behavioral, professional, and ethical standards of their educational institution
If awarded, recipients
- Will receive the scholarship funds towards tuition expenses at a degree-granting institution during the 2026–2027 academic year
- Must submit a headshot and thank-you video following preliminary award notification (to be shared with donors and via media platforms)
- Are required to meet with SAVE’s TGBP Program Staff at least twice a semester during the academic school year via Zoom to check in about scholarship requirements
- Must serve as a TGBP Student Member Lead at their institution; if college or university does not have a TGBP Chapter, recipients must start a chapter and serve as a Student Member Lead with TGBP.
- To start a chapter, recipients must recruit a faculty/staff member to serve as the TGBP Lead to fill out onboarding documents and be the main point of contact for the students. The recipient will serve as a Student Member Lead and help the TGBP Lead with recruitment and promotion of the program, and planning and facilitating meetings and events on campus.
- Must serve a 1-year term on SAVE’s Student Advisory Committee and meet 3 times a year. Involvement may include providing youth voice on SAVE and TGBP program materials, support with promotion and recruitment of the program, speaking engagements, and others.
Application
To apply, students must fill out the form below with the correct information. There is no save button and must be completed in one go. Students can review the form below to understand what is needed of them before they fill out the form. Any missing information can result in your application to not be accepted. Any questions can be emailed to thegreenbandanaproject@save.org.