Complete Your Degree Program

Every year, we award over $300,000 in new and renewed scholarships to students from Oceana County. Scholarships – created by many generous donors – are awarded to support students through various paths to post-secondary education including degree programs, apprenticeships, skilled trades training, and certificate programs. By making higher education more accessible for hundreds of area students and adult learners, we create hope and opportunity for all and help strengthen the future of our community.

The Foundation’s board began an in-depth look at our scholarship program’s impact in 2019, including how to support adult learners. The Complete Your Degree (CYD) program, pioneered by St. Clair Community Foundation, is a way to “redefine and reimagine how scholarship assets are used to support the continuing education of young adults.” CYD is a new program to redefine the relationship between adult learners and scholarship assets. Our goal is to help local adults achieve their degrees and credentials to increase their household prosperity, while fostering a more vibrant economy and meeting the employment skill gap in Oceana County.

In establishing a Complete Your Degree program in Oceana County, four applicants were accepted into the initial cohort in Fall 2022. In Winter 2023, four more students were accepted into the program. The CYD program provides competitive needs-based scholarships, which will cover the full cost of tuition at one of our local community colleges. Additional life needs support for childcare, transportation, housing and other needs are included in the program. A success coach, employed by the Foundation, will walk alongside students to provide extra support to ensure CYD students thrive.

For more information, check our CYD Info Sheet. If you are interested in supporting or learning more about this initiative, contact Tammy Carey or Hannah Naples.

To learn more & apply for the next cohort – click here.

You can help support Oceana’s adult learners by making an online gift to the Complete Your Degree Program Fund here. 

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