Discover Funding Opportunities

Covert Township Community Foundation Scholarship

The board of the Covert Township Community Foundation established this scholarship to provide Covert Township students funding to help finance post-secondary education or training. This scholarship supports students pursuing associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, or vocational/trade certifications at accredited institutions. The scholarship is renewable annually and can be used for any items under the school's cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. Applicants must be residents of Covert Township for the past 3 consecutive years and demonstrate financial need. This multiyear scholarship can be renewed up to 2 times, providing ongoing support throughout a student's educational journey.

E. Earl Wright Scholarship

The E. Earl Wright Scholarship supports students with work experience pursuing a 2-year degree or vocational/trade certification. This award was originally established by friends and family of Dr. E. Earl Wright as the E. Earl Wright Community Achievement Award Fund to honor community activist Dr. Wright. The award recognized someone who had contributed to improved quality of life in areas such as education, community service, community management, research and evaluation and problem-solving in Kalamazoo County. In 2002, the Steering Committee of the E. Earl Wright Community Achievement Award voted to change the fund to a scholarship fund named the E. Earl Wright Scholarship Fund. This is a multiyear scholarship eligible to repeat annually up to 2 times for students enrolled full-time in associate's degree programs or vocational/trade certifications. Students must be residents of Kalamazoo County or graduated from a high school within Kalamazoo County, have a minimum 2.0 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and have work experience.

The Montague Myers Scholarship

The Montague Myers Scholarship, established in 1996, honors the legacy of Montague Myers, a Kalamazoo interior designer and member of the American Society of Interior Designers. This fund supports individuals who have faced significant childhood hardships and aspire to further their education, empowering them to overcome their past challenges and pursue their academic and vocational dreams. This is a multiyear scholarship that is eligible to repeat annually up to 4 times. The scholarship provides $1000 or more to support students pursuing various educational paths including associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, graduate degrees, or vocational/trade certifications. Applicants must be residents of Kalamazoo County or graduating/graduated from a high school within Kalamazoo County, demonstrate financial need, and have a history of abuse, abandonment or neglect as a child. The scholarship can be applied to any items under a school's cost of attendance including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, health insurance, and other educational expenses.

Love Where You Live: Scholarship Fund

The Love Where You Live: Scholarship Fund was established by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation's board of trustees to invest in the educational aspirations of Kalamazoo County residents. The scholarship supports students committed to continuing their education through various degree and certificate programs, including associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and vocational/trade certifications. This multiyear scholarship is renewable annually for up to 4 times and can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. Applicants must be residents of Kalamazoo County or graduating/graduated from a high school within Kalamazoo County and demonstrate financial need. The scholarship is available for both full-time and part-time students, including high school seniors and current undergraduates. Payments are sent directly to the educational institution and split between fall and spring semesters. The application process runs through an all-in-one online application system, with submissions due March 1 annually, notifications from April-June, and payments sent by mid-July to August.

Glen C. Smith Jr./KCC Caddie Scholarship

The Glen C. Smith Jr./KCC Caddie Scholarship was established at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation in 1985 by the Kalamazoo Country Club Caddie Committee in honor of Glen Smith, Jr. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide scholarship assistance to young people in qualified caddie programs at member clubs of the Golf Association of Michigan and the Western Golf Association. This multiyear scholarship provides financial assistance to students pursuing associates degrees, bachelor's degrees, or vocational/trade certifications. Awards are renewable annually up to 4 times and can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. Scholarship payments are sent directly to the recipient's educational institution and split between fall and spring semesters.

Earl Haas Scholarship

The Earl Haas Scholarship was established through a bequest from the estate of Earl Haas. The purpose of the fund is to provide financial assistance for Kalamazoo County residents or persons who have graduated from a school within Kalamazoo County. This is a one-time, non-renewable scholarship award that provides at least $1,000 to students pursuing associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, or vocational/trade certifications. The scholarship is open to both high school seniors and current undergraduate students enrolled full-time or part-time. Recipients must demonstrate financial need and have a connection to Kalamazoo County either through residency or having graduated from a high school within the county. Scholarship payments are sent directly to the educational institution and can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance.

Kreager Family Scholarship

The Kreager Family Scholarship was established in 2001 by the Kreager family to provide financial assistance to college-bound graduating high school seniors that have suffered the loss of a parent or parents through death or abandonment after infancy. This one-time, non-renewable award of $2,000 or more is designed to support students from Kalamazoo County who demonstrate financial need and are pursuing higher education. The scholarship can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. Eligible students may be pursuing associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, or vocational/trade certifications on either a full-time or part-time basis. Scholarship payments are sent directly to the educational institution and distributed evenly between fall and spring semesters. Students must be residents of Kalamazoo County or graduating from a high school within Kalamazoo County or from South Haven High School. Applications are accepted through the all-in-one online application process, with submissions due by March 1 each year, and recipients are notified between April and June, with payments sent to institutions by mid-July through August.

David & Barbara Kruse Paw Paw High School Scholarship

This scholarship was established by Barbara Kruse and the late David Kruse to provide meaningful financial support to Paw Paw High School graduating seniors or graduates of Paw Paw High School, who are planning to pursue training in technical fields. The scholarship supports students pursuing associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, graduate degrees, or vocational/trade certifications. Applicants must have a minimum 2.0 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and be pursuing a course of study leading to a career in a technical field. This is a one-time, non-renewable award of $1,000 or more. The scholarship can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, health insurance, and other educational expenses.

Peter & Inez Schonveld Scholarship

This scholarship was established through a bequest from the estate of Inez Schonveld to provide scholarship assistance to graduating high school seniors and graduates of the Kalamazoo Public School District. The scholarship provides financial support of $1000 or more as a one-time, non-renewable award to help students pursue their educational goals. Students must demonstrate financial need, determination, and good citizenship. The scholarship can be used for any items under the school's cost of attendance including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. It is open to students pursuing various educational paths including associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, graduate degrees, and vocational/trade certifications at any institution. Both full-time and part-time enrollment is acceptable.

Wade & Clio Van Valkenburg Scholarship

The Wade & Clio Van Valkenburg Scholarship was established in 2004 through the Wade Van Valkenburg Trust to provide educational scholarships for Kalamazoo County students facing financial hardship or challenges in their education due to past legal issues or accusations. The scholarship honors Circuit Court Judge Wade Van Valkenburg, who served in Kalamazoo for six years and was deeply concerned about youth in the community, especially those who have had to overcome circumstances or obstacles that may otherwise hinder them from seeking training or higher education. This one-time, non-renewable scholarship provides a minimum of $1,000 to help students pursue associates degrees, bachelor's degrees, or vocational/trade certifications. The scholarship is specifically designed for students who have been found guilty of a criminal offense and demonstrate financial need. It can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. Applications are submitted through the Kalamazoo Community Foundation's all-in-one online application system, with a March 1 deadline each year. Recipients are notified between April and June, and scholarship payments are sent directly to educational institutions by mid-July to August. This scholarship represents a unique opportunity for students with past legal challenges to access higher education and transform their lives.

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.

LPEA John Voelker Memorial Scholarships

The LPEA John Voelker Memorial Scholarships are designed to encourage careers with rural electric cooperatives by providing financial support to high school graduating students pursuing higher education. Two scholarships are awarded annually, each providing $5,000 per year for two years to cover tuition, fees, books, tools, and supplies. Recipients must be LPEA members who are high school graduates from within LPEA's service territory (including Durango, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs, and Ignacio) and must enroll as first-year students at any accredited institution of higher education in the U.S., including vocational schools, technical schools, junior colleges, or universities. The program focuses on students whose academic majors or programs lead to degrees, certifications, or licenses related to rural electric industry careers. To maintain eligibility for the second year, students must remain enrolled full-time, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and complete at least 15 academic credits each term.