Discover Funding Opportunities

Frank & Hildegrade Goodrich Family Scholarship

The Frank and Hildegarde Goodrich Family Scholarship Fund was established through gifts from Frank, Jr.; Walter; and Elizabeth; the children of Frank and Hildegarde Goodrich. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide meaningful financial support to incoming junior and senior undergraduate students and incoming or current graduate students enrolled at Western Michigan University, Michigan State University, the University of Colorado, and the University of Wisconsin. These are universities from which the family members received degrees. The scholarship aims to support students who are residents of Kalamazoo County or graduated from a high school within Kalamazoo County, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and show participation in college and community activities with work experience. This is a one-time, non-renewable award that provides $2,500 or more in financial assistance to help students cover their school's cost of attendance.

Jean Hunse Scholarship

The Jean Hunse Scholarship was established in honor of Jean Hunse, who became a certified public accountant in 1943, started and later served as president of the American Association of Women CPA's, and opened her own accounting firm in Kalamazoo in 1977. This scholarship provides financial assistance to students studying business at Western Michigan University. The award is a one-time, non-renewable scholarship of $1,000 or more that is sent directly to the institution. Students must be residents of Kalamazoo County or have graduated from a high school within Kalamazoo County, maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA, demonstrate financial need, be a business major (with preference for accounting), and be a college junior, senior, or fifth-year senior. The scholarship can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance.

Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association Scholarship

The Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association Scholarship was established to assist students who have taken part in the Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association program. This one-time scholarship award of $1,500 is designed to support high school seniors pursuing a bachelor's degree (4-year) at an accredited institution. The scholarship specifically recognizes students who have demonstrated superior character, sportsmanship, and good citizenship through their participation in the Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association program. Applicants must be enrolled full-time and maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA while demonstrating financial need. The scholarship funds may be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance (COA), including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, health insurance, and other educational expenses. Payments are sent directly to the recipient's institution and are typically split evenly between fall and spring semesters. The application process is streamlined through an all-in-one online application system administered by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. Students can apply starting December 1st, with submissions due by March 1st. Applicants are notified of award decisions between April and June, with scholarship payments sent directly to institutions by mid-July through August. This is a non-renewable, one-time award that can be combined with other scholarships or funding sources.

LPEA Lineworker Scholarship

LPEA is giving away two scholarships for high school graduating students interested in becoming lineworkers. Each winner receives $12,000 for tuition, fees, and books for up to one year at an electrical lineworker school. Any overages following payment of tuition and fees can be used to pay for required and necessary tools and supplies. Applicants must be members of LPEA and high school graduates from schools within LPEA's service territory, including Durango, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs, and Ignacio. Recipients must enroll as first-year students at an accredited vocational school, technical school, junior college, or university in the U.S. and major in an electric lineworker program. The scholarship application is available from December 1 to March 1, with winners notified in April. Applicants must submit an essay or video explaining their interest in becoming a lineworker, a high school transcript, and two letters of recommendation.

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.

Bill and Diane Killilea Memorial Scholarship

The Bill and Diane Killilea Memorial Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship program offered through the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County for students attending Marian High School. This scholarship recognizes outstanding academic achievement among current sophomores who demonstrate a commitment to their education through maintaining strong academic performance. The scholarship provides financial support for two years of high school education, helping to reduce the financial burden on families while encouraging students to maintain high academic standards. This renewable award is contingent upon recipients continuing to meet the eligibility criteria throughout their junior and senior years at Marian High School.

Pay-It-Forward Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to a sophomore, junior, or senior attending Penn State University as a full-time student who is a permanent resident of Lackawanna county, who is employed full-time at Penn State through work-study or an outside employer and continues working as a full time student, and who has maintained a GPA of 2.5 or higher. The scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate a commitment to both their education and work responsibilities. A unique aspect of this scholarship is the pay-it-forward commitment: when the recipient is in a position to do so in the future, he or she must commit to offering a similar scholarship opportunity to others. This creates a legacy of giving that extends beyond the initial award and helps support future generations of students facing similar circumstances.