Cody Garrison,
Challenge Scholars Student at Grand Valley State University
Education has been an important focus for Grand Rapids Community Foundation since we awarded our first scholarships in 1945. We’ve evolved and adapted as student and family needs change in Kent County. Our scholarships, grantmaking, advocacy and partnerships help students succeed and demonstrate our hope and belief in their futures.
Education for individual Kent County students helps grow a stronger, more prosperous West Michigan for us all. Education opportunities help students increase their earnings potential, transform their family and contribute to our shared progress.
A student’s race, ethnicity, financial background or whether they’re first in their family to pursue higher education shouldn’t affect their ability to succeed—but too often it does. Students and multiple data sources tell us that the playing field isn’t even. Students of color or those who are first-generation face the most barriers. We believe all students should be able to choose their educational path and achieve their dreams, whether through high school diplomas, college degrees or trade certificates.
To make meaningful progress, the Community Foundation invests in students directly—through scholarships and our Challenge Scholars program—in nonprofits that provide resources and in the systems that support them.
The Community Foundation sees that change happens when students, caregivers and community members can advocate for themselves. Recently, we supported local and state efforts to lift up student and family voices in policy and budget decisions. Our partnership with Urban Core Collective has helped develop grassroots leaders. It has revealed student and family concerns like available school transportation.
Challenge Scholars offers a way for graduates of Union High School to cover the costs of post-secondary education. Students are attending colleges and universities across the state, and their experiences are shaping our future work.
We aim for educational equity where race, ethnicity and first-generation status don’t determine post-secondary success.
Our need-based scholarships are here to give students a boost on their path to higher education.
Listening to students helps us meet real needs and remove the obstacles on their pathway to success. The Fund for Education, a resource the Community Foundation is actively growing, provides flexible resources to create fairer education outcomes for students of all ages and stages.
Donor partners know the importance of opportunities for our community’s young people and are investing in that shared vision. Cecile Fehsenfeld was a member of the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees when the Challenge Scholars program was being developed. A first-generation student herself, she and her husband Bill know the generational impact of a student completing a degree.
Gifts from donor partners support students today and can evolve for future needs. With our partners, the Community Foundation is changing trajectories for students in Kent County.
