ALPENA – Two-hundred nine students from the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan (CFNEM) and its affiliate foundation service areas have been awarded scholarships this year. Of that amount, 106 awards totaling $303,850 were awarded to students in the four-county region of Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Presque Isle Counties.
“Across all nine counties served by the Foundation, our students have received $440,138 in scholarships in 2023,” said CFNEM Program Director Jennifer Dingman. “Most of these awards are for the 2023-2024 academic year, and many are multi-year awards that will support students beyond just their freshmen year.”
Students receiving scholarships are from across the Community Foundation’s nine-county service area, which includes Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda and Presque Isle Counties. This service area includes CFNEM and three affiliate foundations: Iosco County Community Foundation, North Central Michigan Community Foundation, and Straits Area Community Foundation.
“All of these scholarship funds reflect someone’s legacy in action,” said CFNEM Executive Director Patrick Heraghty. “Because people who care about our communities and those who live here chose to give back, the Foundation was able to award nearly a half million dollars in scholarships this year, speaking volumes about our communities, our donors, and the incredible gift it is for these students to be cared for in this way by generous people they may never even meet.”
Heraghty says one of the unique aspects of the CFNEM scholarship program is that many of its scholarships are not just determined by academic achievement, but with a strong emphasis on extracurriculars and service. Each scholarship reflects the intentions of the donor, and in some cases, that means the emphasis is placed on student interests such as farming, a trade such as welding or plumbing, the arts, or healthcare. All area students planning to attend college are encouraged to apply for scholarships, regardless of whether they plan to attend a trade certification program, community college or a four-year university.
See a full list of 2023 scholarship recipients
Scholarships for the 2024 season for the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan will be open in early January.
The Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan is a nonprofit charitable organization committed to providing people who care about the future of our area with unique and effective ways of supporting their community now, and for generations to come.
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