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Gail & Hilda Oster Scholarship Fund

This scholarship was established through a bequest from the estate of Gail and Hilda Oster for the purpose of providing meaningful support to graduating high school seniors or graduates, who are residents of Van Buren County or graduating high school seniors or graduates of high schools within Van Buren County, who are planning to pursue or are pursuing bachelor's degrees in the fields of education, mathematics or science; or enrolling or enrolled in a Veterinary Technologist or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs. This is a multiyear scholarship that is eligible to repeat annually up to 4 times. The scholarship provides a minimum of $1,000 and requires applicants to be Van Buren County residents or graduates from high schools within Van Buren County, have a minimum 2.75 GPA, and demonstrate financial need. Scholarship payments are sent directly to the institution and can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance.

Brian Thiele Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship, established by family and friends in memory of Brian Thiele, provides financial assistance to students who exhibit characteristics similar to those for which Brian is so fondly remembered. This includes playing varsity and/or club soccer, achievement of personal and academic goals, overcoming obstacles to meet his goals, competitive spirit, leadership and a special caring for community. The scholarship is available to students pursuing associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, or vocational/trade certifications. Recipients must be residents of Kalamazoo County or graduates from a high school within Kalamazoo County, demonstrate financial need, have four years of participation on a soccer team during high school, and demonstrate competitive spirit, leadership, and a desire to give back to others. Brian Arthur Thiele was born September 16, 1971 in Kalamazoo, MI. He was finishing a degree in Logistics Management at Western Michigan University when, at the age of 22, his life was cut short as a result of an in-line skating accident while interning in Isny, Germany. Brian, a 1990 graduate of Portage Northern High School, spent four years on the varsary soccer team. Although he loved to play the game, he found just as much, if not more, excitement and pleasure on the sideline coaching. This scholarship honors his legacy of dedication to soccer, leadership, and community service.

Aperture Innovation Accelerator

The Aperture Innovation Accelerator provides seed funding for early-stage startups working on technologies that Cave Johnson himself would have approved of. We're looking for moonshot ideas that conventional funders would consider "too dangerous" or "scientifically impossible." Past cohort projects include: combustible lemon batteries, portal-powered logistics, and sentient turret therapy systems. If your idea makes safety officers nervous, you might be a perfect fit.