Community Foundation Announces Support of Essential Workers

JANUARY 11, 2021

Futures for Frontliners (F4F) is a state-run program that offers free tuition for essential workers attending community colleges at in-district tuition rates. Since there is no institution of higher education in the county, most Oceana students do not fully qualify for free tuition, leaving a portion of costs uncovered by the F4F program. The Community Foundation and a donor supporting additional scholarships through the Oceana College Access Network have scholarship funds to assist with 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 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 adult students to apply, regardless of their ability to meet these criteria. We are excited to expand our program to help meet local employment needs and increase career options for Oceana residents,” said Foundation Scholarship Program OfficerDanielle Siegel.

The Foundation’s 2021 adult scholarship program is accepting applications now through January 22nd, 2021. Applications are submitted through the Community Foundation website at https://oceanafoundation.org/scholarships/adult-student-scholarships/. Adult students can complete their applications in 3 easy steps, and applicants should expect to hear from the Foundation within two weeks of the submission deadline.

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/.