Community Foundation Announces Adult Scholarships to Support Essential Workers
April 7, 2021
The Community Foundation for Oceana County is excited to announce the availability of adult student scholarships aimed at students accepted into the Futures for Frontliners or Michigan Reconnect programs enrolled at Muskegon Community College or West Shore Community College.
The State of Michigan launched two grant programs to help adult learners. The Futures for Frontliners (F4F) and MI Reconnect programs award tuition to frontline workers and adults over 25, respectively. These programs provide free in-district tuition. This in-district stipulation leaves Oceana County students with a portion of the cost to pay out of pocket. Since March 2021, 341 Oceana residents applied for F4F and MI Reconnect programs. The Community Foundation has launched their scholarship application to support adult learners in meeting these gap costs.
Beginning immediately, scholarships will be offered to Oceana County residents who have been out of high school for at least one year and/or have a gap in their post-secondary education. Students must be attending West Shore or Muskegon Community Colleges, accepted into the F4F or MI Reconnect program and taking at least 6 credits. Higher selection priority will be aligned with Oceana CAN! goals to impact degrees & certification achievement for persons of color, first generation college students, or low income. Adult students may also have other identifying criteria, such as full-time employment, parenthood, care of elderly parents, or prior military service. We encourage all F4F/MI Reconnect adult students to apply, regardless of their ability to meet these criteria.
The Foundation’s 2021 adult scholarship program is accepting applications now. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until resources are depleted. Applications are submitted through the Community Foundation website at https://oceanafoundation.org/scholarships/adult-student-scholarships/. More information can be found on the website or by calling the Foundation at 231-869-3377.
The Community Foundation maintains the largest scholarship program in our area, offering nearly $220,000 last year to 140 new and 59 renewing students. The Community Foundation aims to make higher education more accessible in our community through local donors’ generosity. To learn more about the Foundation’s general scholarship process, visit https://oceanafoundation.org/scholarships/how-to-apply-for-a-scholarship/.